She's the Oven
by AshTMI17
Summary: Killian Jones is making a move towards his future - and Emma Swan is the ticket. She calls herself the Oven - she's baking his future for him for the next 9 months. But could she be his future? Could what he's always wanted be living down the hall, having his baby for him? Rating subject to change.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: Hello, all! I got this idea in my head and just couldn't shake it, so I decided to write it. I have my last law school final Monday, and after that I should be updating pretty regularly. Please review and let me know what you think... I know it may start off slow - but it's going to take a while to get momentum as the first couple of chapters set the scene.**

 **Also, I own nothing of OUAT, just my plot.**

 _"Mr. Jones, this is Ruby from Doctor Whale's office. As you know, we have been searching for your perfect match for quite a few months. Well, we think we have finally found her! She is available to come to the office today at two p.m. Is that time okay for you?"_

Killian Jones was stunned, his mouth hanging open as he replayed Ruby's words in his head and nearly dropped the phone. It was finally happening. After nearly a year of waiting, it was happening.

 _"Um, Mr. Jones… are you there?"_ Ruby asked.

"Yes, yes, I am here. I apologize. I will be there at two this afternoon. Thank you, Ruby." After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Killian hung up the phone, staring at the wall in his office. He pressed the intercom and called in Tink Belle, his assistant and best friend.

"Yes, Killian?" Tink said as she entered his office.

"Clear all my appointments after lunch please, Tink. Doctor Whale's office just called. They found someone!" By this point, Killian was smiling wider than he had ever smiled before. She ran over to hug him, chattering excitedly and exclaiming that she would handle everything for him.

Three hours later, Killian left his office and made his way to Doctor Whale's. He was nervous – more than he had ever been. He'd closed million dollar deals in his business life, but this was different. This was his personal life. His future. He was finally doing it. After parking the car, he walked into the office and Ruby immediately escorted him into the Doctor's personal office. Sitting in the comfortable chair, he started fidgeting and scratching behind his ear (his telltale sign of nerves). _What is taking Whale so bloody long?_ he thought. Finally, after what felt like hours, the door opened.

"Hello, Killian, it's nice to see you again," Doctor Whale greeted him as he entered the room. Behind him was a blonde woman, who was mostly blocked by the Doctor. Shaking Whale's hand, he said, "Hello, Doctor." Before he could say anything else, the blonde stepped out from behind Whale. And my, my what a woman she was. She looked about his age, maybe a year or two younger. She was slender but clearly athletic, with smooth, tan skin and silky blonde curls cascading down her back. She was wearing a tight tank top and skin-tight jeans, showing off her considerable… assets… and a red leather jacket and knee high riding boots. She was stunning. Killian was flabbergasted. He never expected that someone like _that_ would be here right now, in this moment.

She was smiling slightly as she took a seat in the chair next to Killian and Whale sat across the desk from them.

"Killian Jones, this is Emma Swan, the woman we think is the perfect match. Emma Swan, this is Killian Jones." When she offered her hand, he shook it hesitantly, unsure where his new set of nerves was coming from. He knew it was this woman, but he couldn't figure out why. He had been around beautiful women before. Putting his nerves aside, he looked to Whale, unsure how the process worked from here.

"Well, I am going to leave for a while and let you two talk. Please feel free to ask each other questions and get to know each other. Your genetic testing has shown that you would be a great match, but we want to ensure that you are satisfied with the choice, Killian." With a wave, he was gone.

"This is awkward," the woman, Emma, murmured.

"Aye, it is. Well, we know we are a match genetically and you have a good health history," Killian stared, looking at the papers that Ruby had faxed him earlier to review. "I guess I'll start with the basic questions about you. Age, occupation, interests, et. cetera," Killian said, pulling out his notepad and quickly slipping into business mode.

Emma turned a bit in her chair to face him and met his gaze. Wide, green eyes met his blue ones and she sighed. "Emma Swan, age 25. I am currently finishing up my masters in social work at Storybrooke University. I'm due to graduate in two months, then I have to wait a few months to take the licensing exam and find a job – it will be about 10-11 months until I can get in at a Children's Services type agency, which is my dream. So I figure if I'm going to do this, now is a good time. I live with my best friend Mary Margaret and her fiancé, David. No kids, no boyfriend, no real life outside of school." Killian was intrigued, she was no nonsense and clearly had ambition. A lack of personal life wasn't a bad thing in his book. Besides Tink, Killian was too busy with work and his future plans to socialize much. He admired that work ethic and dedication in others.

"Okay, cool. So, it says here you've had a healthy, full term pregnancy before. What happened with that child?" he asked. Emma tensed and narrowed her eyes. _Note to self: sensitive subject_ Killian thought as Emma took a deep breathe and fidgeted with her purse. "I'm sorry, lass. I don't mean to pry, it's just that, well, this is relevant…" he trailed off.

Emma offered a tense smile. "I know, it's okay. It's just a bit of a hard subject for me to talk about. I got pregnant when I was 17. I was living with Mary Margaret's family after I left my last foster home. I met this guy, one of Mary Margaret's neighbors. He was older, like 20, but I fell in love. Needless to say, I got pregnant. As soon as he found out, he bolted. Never saw him again. I couldn't raise a baby on my own at 17, so Mary Margaret's parents took care of me and then helped me put the baby up for adoption. He was healthy and everything, don't worry, but it was a closed adoption so I don't know where he is now. He'd be 7 now." A single tear fell down her cheek.

"I… I'm sorry, lass," he said.

"It's okay, I expected it. Anyhow, why are you here? Why does a successful, single guy want a kid?" she asked curiously.

"When I was 20, I married the woman of my dreams, Milah. We planned a family and we were so happy when she found out she was pregnant. When she was 13 weeks pregnant, she, um, got in a car accident… Neither she nor the baby made it. Since then, I've thrown myself into my work. But I never lost the dream of having a happy family. One day last year, I was in my office and my eyes landed on a photograph of my dear Milah on my bookshelf. Suddenly I realized, I couldn't be alone forever. It had been six years – I needed to move forward. And I decided that simply because I hadn't found love again didn't mean I didn't deserve to have a child. So I started looking into adoption and surrogacy. It turns out that, even with my resources, adoption agencies aren't eager to adopt out kids to a single guy. So here I am." He took a long breath and once again met Emma's eyes. She leaned over and grabbed his hand, squeezing it gently.

"I just want a child, lass. I have everything except the one thing I've wanted. Unconditional love, someone to take care of, a future, a legacy, ya know?" he asked. Emma nodded. They continued the conversation for about 20 minutes before it quieted.

"Well, if you want me, I'm here to help," Emma whispered. He nodded.

"Just one more question – what do you want the money for?" he asked.

"I'm not doing this just for the money, Killian. I want to help you. You deserve it. But I plan on using the $50,000 to pay off my student loans. As I'm sure you can guess, social workers don't make much money. Paying off my debt will allow me the freedom to do the job I really love."

At that, Killian smiled. She was perfect. He reviewed the paperwork in front of him. She had no illnesses, no genetic or hereditary issues, she was a good match for him. She was a hard worker, a straight A student, had survived horrible circumstances in foster care, and had a dedication that he admired. She was resilient and determined. _Plus, the lass is bloody beautiful. Any child of hers will be stunning, clearly._ After about 10 minutes of thinking and going over everything again and again, he had decided. He turned back to Emma, who was standing nervously. Slowly, he stood up and met her eyes.

"Well, Emma, it looks like you're going to be having my baby," he said, before blushing and scratching behind his ear. "Sorry, I didn't mean it like that…" Emma just laughed and hugged him. He tried to ignore the tingling throughout his body at the contact.

"Awesome! So what do you say we call Doctor Whale back in so we can figure this whole thing out?" she said, opening the door and running out to get Whale.

 _Well, this will be interesting…_ Killian thought as he chuckled at the blonde's excitement.

Over the next three hours, Emma and Killian solidified all of the terms of their agreement with Doctor Whale's input and advice.

Emma would be inseminated the following week, during her ovulation period. A few weeks later, she would return to the office to confirm that the procedure took. If she was pregnant, she would move in with Killian for the remainder of his pregnancy. This point took some persuasion on his part – she didn't want him to think she was taking advantage. He repeated the fact that he had a beautiful guest wing in his home that she would love and the peace and quiet would be appreciated as she got further along. She finally relented. She also agreed that she would drive one of his extra vehicles. Now, she walked or took public transportation. But winter was coming and Killian would be damned if the mother of his child would be out in the freezing snow. He would, of course, pay for all of her medical care, food, and maternity clothes (which she again said was unnecessary – but he insisted). Plus, he would give her the $50,000 fee after the child was born.

When he left Doctor Whale's office later that day, he had an extra spring in his step. He just had a good feeling about this whole new adventure. And he couldn't wait to see what was going to happen next.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: I hope you enjoy this chapter – it alternates between Killian and Emma's POVs. Thanks for the reviews, I really appreciate that you all love the story thus far! I have some interesting ideas coming up that I hope you like. Once again, I don't own OUAT or Killian Jones (disappointingly).**

Emma Swan was moving into his home. She was officially pregnant with his child – the procedure that taken on the first try. _He was going to have a baby_. The reality was still settling in and the excitement was still coursing through him as Emma arrived, followed by a small moving truck with all of her belongings. As the workers unloaded her belongings, Killian was shocked at the _lack_ of belongings that Emma owned. Other than a bedroom set, clothes, and a few boxes of personal belongings, she didn't have anything. This was amazing to him – he had a four bedroom, four bathroom home with a three car garage. Every inch of the home was professionally decorated by a woman Tink had hired for him, other than the room he'd cleared for Emma. He also had a shed out back with a bunch of family heirlooms and things of Milah's that he couldn't handle seeing everyday. He couldn't imagine moving with only a handful of boxes and a bed.

When Emma entered the house, Killian could tell she was surprised. Her eyes widened as she explored room by room as Killian directed the movers. He found her minutes later, staring into the state of the art chef's kitchen. Her beautiful blonde locks were in a high pony tail and she was wearing sweatpants and a Storybrooke U t-shirt. She looked beautiful. Killian swallowed his attraction and made his way into the kitchen, clearing his throat. Emma jumped slightly, blushing.

"Um, I picked up your prenatal vitamins and everything else you'd need. Here is the key to the house, a key to the Prius in the garage, a garage door opener is in the car, some cash, and a American Express card. If you need anything else, just let me know," Killian said as he handed her the bag. Her eyes were wide and she seemed a bit pale. "Hey, you okay?" he asked, gently placing a hand on her shoulder. She seemed to snap out of whatever it was and smiled at him.

"Uh, yeah. I'm okay. This is all just a bit overwhelming. I've never seen a kitchen this nice in my life. And the bathroom attached to the bedroom – oh my goodness, it has a _Jacuzzi_. And you, you're, I mean, you're great. I just, I can't believe this is my life right now…" she trailed off.

"Well, you have plenty of time to adjust. Anyhow, I've got to run to the office for a bit. There's plenty of food in the fridge, and you have the car if you need it. I should be back in a few hours. I just have to organize a few files and bring them home," Killian said. Emma waved goodbye as she sat down on the soft, worn in sectional sofa and flipped on the television. Killian couldn't help but grin as he saw how at home she looked. He paid the movers and left, still smiling.

Four hours later, Killian dragged himself into the house from his car. He was exhausted from reviewing files for the big meeting next week all alone since Tink was out of town with her long time boyfriend, Peter. As he opened the door leading from the garage to the house, an amazing scent hit his nose. Surprised and intrigued, he followed the smell to his kitchen. As he approached the eat in area, he found Emma dancing around inside the kitchen, stirring two different things on the stove and then checking something else in the oven. He couldn't help but notice that her hair was in a braid and she had changed into a beautiful blue sundress. With her bare feet and makeup-less face, she was absolutely breathtaking. Killian took a deep breath and made his presence known.

"Hello, love. What's all of this?" he asked casually. Emma jumped a bit, clearly just noticing his presence.

"Oh, hi Killian! Well, I finished my homework and then I was bored, so I decided to cook dinner. I hope you like spaghetti!"

"You didn't have to do that, Emma. You should have been resting."

"I know I didn't have to! But think of it as my small way of paying you back for everything you've done so far. The least I can do is cook the food you've paid for. Killian, I'm pregnant, not dying. I think I can handle cooking the simplest meal ever created. Now, stop complaining about me cooking, it's ready," she said as she began plating the spaghetti. Killian took each of their plates over the table as Emma grabbed a beer for him and a bottle of water for herself.

"So, all settled in?" he asked as he began chowing down on food. _Damn, she can cook too!_ he thought.

"Yep, not that I have much. When I was a kid, I changed 'families' a lot. So I just got in the habit of not having a bunch of things to move from house to house." A comfortable conversation settled in as they finished eating. They talked about his job, her school, books and movies. Killian couldn't remember the last time he felt so at ease.

"I can't believe you've never seen The Princess Bride! It's on Netflix – I'm making you watch _tonight!_ " Emma exclaimed as she helped Killian clean up after dinner. He chuckled a bit and nodded. The idea of spending more time with Emma was definitely not something he was opposed to.

Settling into the sofa next to Emma, Killian relaxed and enjoyed the film. And when Emma fell asleep and her head softly landed on his shoulder, he _definitely couldn't_ ignore the way that his heartbeat fluttered in his chest.

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Hours later, Emma was startled awake by the sudden need to throw up. The first thing she realized was that she was in her bed, not on the sofa. Then she remembered her miserable reason for waking up. _Damn this morning sickness_ , she thought as she jumped from bed, flipped the bedroom light on, and ran to the en suite bathroom. Ten minutes later, she was still there, waiting for the misery to pass, when she heard a soft knock on the door.

"Emma, love, I'm coming in," she heard Killian's soft voice and smiled despite herself. It was ridiculous how easily he got to her. _Must be the hormones_ , she reasoned, even though she knew that wasn't true. He was just so nice. And caring. She kept having to remind herself that he was in this for the little muffin in her oven, not her. As soon as the muffin was done baking, she was sure Killian would toss her to the curb. People always did. Before she could continue thinking, Killian entered the bathroom.

"Love, I just came back from my run and saw your light on. Are you alright?" he questioned gently as he walked in. Seeing her sitting on the floor, he sighed and sat down next to her, up against the bathtub. His hand began rubbing her lower back in comforting circles. She felt the warmth radiating throughout her body and once again had to remind herself why he was there. It didn't help that he was shirtless and glistening with sweat – his dark chest hair pasted his strong, toned body.

"Killian," she mumbled. "You really, really don't need to be here right now. I promise I'm okay, I think it passed, anyway."

He chuckled humorlessly. "Emma, I hate seeing you miserable. This morning sickness is getting out of hand! Shouldn't it be over by now? I mean honestly, we should go see Whale. What if something is wrong? I mean, you said this has been a few weeks." His worrying was adorable and she couldn't help the slight blush that rose to her cheeks.

"Nothing's wrong. I'm only 7 weeks pregnant. It should be passing in a few weeks. Doctor Whale already told us that, remember? Everything is fine. I promise," she reassured him squeezing his hand.

"Alright, I believe you. How about we get you back to bed, huh? I'm working from home this morning, so in a few hours I'll wake you up for some breakfast," he said as he pulled her up by the hand. She followed him silently back to her bed and crawled inside. He pulled the covers over her body and sat beside her, pushing her hair off of her forehead. Just as she was slipping off to sleep, savoring the warmth and comfort of Killian, she felt his lips ghost across her forehead.

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Killian was standing in the kitchen, whistling to himself and flipping the bacon in the pan in front of him. Ever since his early morning vomit-induced bonding session with Emma, he'd been happier than he could remember being in years. He was trying, god he was trying to remember that she wasn't there for _him_. But it was so hard. When she smiled, he couldn't help thinking that it could be for him. It had only been a day since she moved in and already he couldn't imagine his life without her.

He knew he was lying to her, that he had lied to her since their very first meeting. He knew if she ever found out she would never forgive him. And he _had_ planned on telling her. But then they started meeting for coffee daily in the week before she was inseminated. He got to know her. They were friends. And he just couldn't risk losing her, so he chickened out again and again.

"Morning," Emma said as she made her way into the kitchen, shaking him out of his guilty thoughts.

"Good morning, feeling better?" he asked.

"Yes, thanks," she replied, sliding onto one of the bar stools positioned in front of the kitchen island.

"Coffee?"

"No coffee, you don't want the muffin to get sick, do you?" she asked teasingly. His eyes widened.

"The muffin?" he questioned, curious.

"Yeah, that's what I call the baby. I mean, I like to view myself as the oven. I'm cooking the baby, and when it's done, you'll take it out and it will be yours. I mean, if you don't like it…" she trailed off, nervously biting her nails.

Killian plated the bacon and silently went to pull out his surprise treat from the oven. He laughed when he saw Emma's wide open mouth.

"Well, love, I made muffins!" he exclaimed, chuckling at the coincidence. She sat there for about a minute, staring at the tray, before suddenly laughing hysterically. "So it's perfect!" he said through his laughter.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: Once again, I don't own OUAT. Please review - it feeds my creative juices.**

"I'm sorry, what now?" Emma asked, shocked, as she stuffed her face with a bagel.

"I need a date for the benefit tonight. I was taking Tink, but something last minute came up. I didn't know if you would feel up to it, but it seems that the sickness part of your pregnancy is over. So, what do you say love? Feel like getting all dressed up and partying the night away with a handsome lad such as myself?" he smiled and waggled his eyebrows at her.

"But I'm pregnant…" she trailed off.

"You're not dying, though, remember. And you deserve a night of fun and games! I'll even make sure you have a dress and everything," he said and she absolutely could not resist his puppy dog eyes. She nodded hesitantly. _Damn him and his beautiful smile and sad eyes_.

"Perfect! I've got to head to work, but don't worry, I'll handle everything. I'll pick you up at 6 pm," he said as he slid on his suit jacket. "Bye, love," he said before placing a soft kiss on her cheek. If he had turned around, he would have seen Emma holding her hand to her cheek, relishing in the feeling of his lips on her skin.

Emma was sitting at the dining room table attempting to finish a paper when the doorbell rang around 1 pm. When she opened it, she saw a short, blonde woman smiling at her.

"Hello, you must be Emma! I'm Tink, Killian's BFF and assistant. He wanted me to help you find a dress for this evening!" Emma opened the door wider and let the girl in. "Go grab your purse, we're heading to the mall. Now hurry, we don't have much time!" Emma chuckled and got her purse, following Tink out the door.

"So, Emma, tell me about yourself," Tink said as they walked into Bloomingdales. Emma had never had the money to shop in Bloomingdale's before, so she was excited and hesitant as Tink led her into the store.

"Age 25, I graduate with my Masters degree in social work in a couple of weeks, I'm currently the oven cooking Killian's muffin…" at that, Tink started laughing uncontrollably. She watched, partially amused and partially concerned, as Tink pulled herself together and wiped tears from her eyes in the shoe section.

"You're… the oven? For his muffin? That's a new one!" Tink added as she grabbed Emma's hand and dragged her to the dress section. "Let me guess, you're a size 2."

Emma chuckled. "Well, I got tired of saying I was pregnant and having to explain everything, so I just decided to call myself the oven. I thought it was a clever analogy… and actually, I think now with the baby bump I'm a size 4."

Tink silently gathered what looked like twenty different dresses before leading Emma to a fitting room. Mechanically, Emma tried on dress after dress, vetoing each one for some reason or another. Some were too short, others too tight (and she didn't want to have to explain to tons of people that she _was_ Killian's baby mama, but not _really_ ), some were too flashy, others were too itchy. The whole time, she and Tink had an easy conversation. She really, really liked Tink. She could totally see why Killian kept her around – she was funny, smart, cheerful, and a bundle of fun energy. It was contagious – Emma couldn't remember smiling so much in recent history (except for when she was with Killian).

After thirteen dresses had been discarded, Tink handed her a beautiful red dress with a low cut, square neckline and cap sleeves. It looked like a princess dress. Sliding it on her body, she turned to the mirror. It was perfect! The A-line cut highlighted her waist and chest and camouflaged her bump. Tink nodded frantically, clearly agreeing that this was the dress. With a huge smile, she twirled around and watched the skirt of the dress spin. For the first time in years, Emma felt truly beautiful.

"Alright princess, time to change back into your regular clothes. We've got more to do!" Tink exclaimed as she unzipped the dress for Emma. She placed it back on the hanger and left the dressing room, presumably to go pay.

Emma stood in front of the mirror in her bra and panties for a moment, turning to the side to look at her bump. It was tiny, but noticeable. She couldn't believe that she was now in her second trimester – 12 weeks along. The muffin was growing and she couldn't help but get attached. She realized that this time was around was so different from her last pregnancy. She had a man there to hold her hair (the lovely morning sickness was mostly over now, thank goodness), a safe place to live, and anything she could ever ask for.

But that was the problem. The way her heart fluttered as she looked at her bump was the problem. The butterflies that she felt whenever Killian looked at her were the problem. As she got dressed again, she reminded herself (one more time) that Killian and the muffin weren't hers. She felt tears form in her eyes as she gathered her belongings and left the room. By the time she met Tink again, she'd cleared her eyes. If Tink noticed, she didn't say anything. Just one more testament to how great she was.

"So, why don't we stop for some lunch on the way to the hairstylist," Tink suggested as she put the dress in the drunk of her car.

"Sure!" Emma was excited. It was so hard for her to make friends – at least true friends, not just acquaintances. It was shocking how quickly Killian and Tink had wormed their way into her heart. Despite the walls that she tried to keep up, they broke them down. Maybe it was the pregnancy hormones. Mary-Margaret, her family, David, and her classmate Ruby were the only other people who had broken down the walls and no one had done it so quickly.

Fifteen minutes later, the two blondes ended up inside a small café, ordering sandwiches and iced tea. Tink was talking excitedly about the gala and how wonderful Emma was going to look. Emma was just smiling and laughing along.

"Killian is going to fall all over himself when he sees you, Emma," Tink said, catching Emma's attention again. She fidgeted nervously.

"Uh, we're just friends, Tink. I'm going as his friend," she answered. Tink smiled knowingly.

"I've heard him talk about you, Emma. I don't think you're only friends… at least not to him. He's been through a lot and I haven't heard him talk about a girl the way he talks about you in a long time," Tink insisted.

"Well, I mean, I am his oven… He has to like me," Emma deflected her discomfort.

"That's not what I mean and you know it!"

"Killian is still in love with Milah…" Emma said, trailing off because honestly, she hadn't heard a single word about Milah since the day she met Killian.

"Uh, no, I uh, well…" For the first time all day, Tink looked uncomfortable. _Hmmm, maybe Tink didn't like Milah._ Emma decided to change the subject, feeling awkward and not wanting to upset her new friend.

"Anyhow, about my hair for tonight, what were you thinking?" she asked.

Three hours later, Emma was standing in front of the mirror in her bathroom while Tink put the finishing touches on her makeup. "I thought you had somewhere to be tonight, which is why you couldn't go with Killian," she teased her friend.

Tink blushed slightly. "Oh, yeah, about that. I lied. I think you deserve to go tonight. Don't tell Killian. And you're all done!" Emma looked at herself in the mirror and gasped. She couldn't remember the last time she looked that good. The red dress was flattering and the intricate, braided bun that her blonde hair was in was stunning. Her makeup was subtle, with a smoky eye and pale pink lips. _Hopefully Killian will like it_ , she thought before she convinced herself that his opinion didn't really matter.

"Anyhow, you look amazing. Emma, he's going to love it. I gotta go, since Killian will be back soon! Can't have him knowing our little secret," Tink said with a wink.

"Thanks so much Tink, I feel like you're my fairy godmother!" she said, giving Tink a huge hug and walking her out.

"Call me!" Tink screamed as she got in her car. Laughing, Emma went back inside the house and sat on the sofa, careful not to rumple her dress. Flicking through a magazine, she got so distracted that she didn't hear Killian come in.

"Swan?" he called out to her.

"In the living room," she called back. She listened as his footsteps got louder over time, getting closer to her. As he rounded the corner, she gasped at how handsome he looked in a tux. He looked up, smiled brightly at her with wide eyes, and promptly tripped over his own feet. _This is definitely going to be an interesting night_.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: I still don't own the characters, sadly. So, this chapter is Emma and Killian's relationship, but the next one is all baby stuff. Enjoy and review!**

"Shit! Killian! Killian! Please, wake up! _Killian!_ " He heard a voice, but it just seemed so far away. He couldn't open his eyes and his head felt like it was going to throb right off of his body. Cold hands grasped one of his and he felt moisture falling onto his cheek. With extreme effort, he opened his eyes and immediately met scared green ones leaning over him. _Emma_.

"Oh thank god, you hit your head! I was going to call an ambulance…" Emma said through still-falling tears. She leaned down further and hugged him to her. "Y-you need to go to the hospital, you could have a concussion."

Killian sat up slowly, realizing that he was basically laying in her lap. "I'm okay, Swan. I promise. Just a bump." Looking down, he noticed that there was blood on his hands. "And a bit of blood. All okay." Emma sighed, wiping her tears.

"Y-you, y-you hit your head on the corner of the fireplace mantle. You were bleeding. And I totally froze. I… Thank god you're okay. I got the bleeding to stop once I snapped out of my haze. I still think you should go to the hospital," Emma said, calmer than before but still grasping his hand like it was all that was holding her to Earth.

"I'm okay, love. Just a bit of a headache. Although, my tux definitely will not do for tonight. Help me up and I'll get changed, then we can go to the fundraiser."

"Killian, I really think we should skip tonight. You're hurt…" Emma protested, knowing she was not going to win that argument. She helped Killian stand up and he smiled at her, shedding his bloody tux jacket.

"Not bloody likely, Swan. These tickets cost me $1500 each and all of my business associates will be there. Just let me go clean up and we can go. You look lovely by the way," he said with a wink.

"Thank you, Mr. Jones. You look quite lovely yourself, pre-blood at least," Emma said, blushing slightly. She fidgeted with her purse as she waited for him to change. In just a few moments, Killian emerged from his bedroom, looking even better than before in a new tux.

"Ready, lovely lady?" Killian asked, coming up next to her and offering her his arm. Emma noticed that he had a bandage on his forehead over the cut.

"Absolutely, sir. Thank you," Emma responded, taking his arm and following him out of the house. As he locked up, Emma noticed the limousine sitting in the driveway. "You hired a limo?" she asked.

"Actually, the limo belongs to Jones Brothers Aquatics, not me personally. But, being the CEO has some advantages." Emma smiled as Killian led her into the limo.

Within minutes, Killian was leading Emma into an amazingly decorated ballroom. The event had a _Once Upon a Time_ theme, and the ballroom was decorated as the Enchanted Forest, complete with seven dwarf waiters and fairy tale princesses. It was amazing. "Who is throwing this benefit again?" she asked him, stunned at the beauty surrounding her.

"It's Storybrooke Children Hospital's annual fundraiser. All of Storybrooke's business, legal, and social leaders come to raise money for the hospital. There is a silent auction, a live auction, and dinner and dancing. Overall, it's a fun event for an excellent cause," Killian said before taking a glass of champagne from one of the waiters and asking for a glass of water for Emma.

"Actually, Sir, if you wouldn't mind, just two glasses of water, please," Emma said to the waiter, taking Killian's champagne from his hand and placing it back on the tray. She then turned to Killian, "You could have a concussion – no drinking!" she admonished him. The waiter laughed as he took back the glass.

"Listen to your girl, she certainly cares about you," he said before walking away, off to serve another couple nearby. Emma couldn't stifle the giggle that emerged from her throat as Killian's cheeks and ears turned a bit red with blush. Killian was embarrassed by just how much he wanted Emma to be _his girl_. _His girl, his baby, his family_. But Emma didn't feel the same way, so he deflected, taking the time to calm his mind down.

"Well, lass, I guess we should find our seats." He glanced at the tickets. "Table 5." Emma led Killian by the hand to their seats. He pulled her seat out for her before settling in the next chair.

"Emma Swan!" Killian turned his head at the call. A dark haired woman, who despite her pixie cut hairstyle looked nothing but feminine in a white, sparkly dress. The man with her was blonde and totally enamored with his wife (or girlfriend, maybe)? Emma turned around and immediately jumped out of her chair, running to the brunette and hugging her close and then moving on to hug the man.

"I can't believe you guys are here! Killian, come here," she called to him, so of course he immediately got up and joined the small group. "Killian, this is my very best friend Mary Margaret Blanchard and her fiancé, and another of my closest friends, David Nolan! Guys, this is Killian Jones." She didn't provide any more detail, so he assumed that they already knew _exactly who_ he was. He smiled as he shook David's hand and then leaned over to hug Mary Margaret.

"So, what are you doing here?" Emma asked as they made their way back to the table (it turned out that the duo was sitting right next to them).

"Regina gave us her tickets. All three kids came down with the flu, so she and Robin decided to stay home and take care of them," Mary Margaret said.

"Wait, Regina and Robin… Locksley?" Killian asked.

"Yes, Regina is Mary Margaret's step-sister," David answered. Killian was shocked. Regina was his long time Vice President of Operations before leaving to start her own company with her husband. She knew his past, she'd known Milah. _And she knows Emma._ Killian sat silently, picking at his salad. Emma chatted with the happy couple throughout the salad, soup and entrée courses. Killian added to it here and there, but largely got lost in his own thoughts – worrying about his past suddenly being connected to the woman that was carrying his child.

Between the entrée and dessert, Killian forced Emma to dance. She claimed she didn't know how to do the waltz, but he assured her that the most important part was having a good partner, which he was. The two glided smoothly across the dance floor, talking and laughing, as their friends did the same. Killian couldn't believe how carefree and happy Emma seemed. And he realized then… he was falling in love with Emma Swan. The emotion of the moment, holding her close, with her head on his shoulder as they swayed to a slow song, became too much.

Killian announced that he was going to explore the silent auction before the live one started. He excused himself from the group and nearly ran to the nearest restroom. Standing in front of the sink, he stared himself down in the mirror. _Come on, Killian, get it together! Everything's fine. Just relax._ He spent a few minutes giving himself a pep talk before exiting to look at the silent auction items and bid a few things. Within minutes, an arm had wound its way around his waist.

"Hey, you okay?" Emma asked him, concern all over his face.

"Yes, love. I'm glad to meet your friends," he replied, smiling. "I may or may not have bid on some things for you, I hope that's alright." He was noticing that making Emma happy was what made him happy – every worry he'd had disappeared as a huge grin appeared on her face.

"You didn't have to do that! Listen, I'm actually really tired and you look worn out as well, especially given your injury. Wanna wait out the silent auction and then skip out of here?" she asked him, still smiling. He nodded. As they made their way back to the table, Emma's hand laced with his. He pulled her closer to his side once they sat, their chairs pushed next to each other. As the results of the silent auction were announced, he found himself holding his breath – hoping he won his top choice.

"And the winner of the romantic weekend vacation on a yacht is… Killian Jones, with a donation of $10,000! Mr. Jones, please see the auction desk to get everything set up." Emma was staring at him, her mouth hanging open. Behind her, Mary Margaret and David shared a quick look before their gazes landed on Killian. He couldn't quite decipher what was in the looks, but it _almost_ looked like admiration and possibly happiness. Emma leaned into Killian's side.

"You got the yacht vacation for me?" she whispered. Everything else in the room disappeared as his gaze met hers. He saw tears forming in the corners of her eyes as she looked at him.

"Aye. I thought it would be fun… if you don't want to go with me, you're free to invite whomever you please. I think you deserve to relax after graduation," he said. She squeezed his hand.

"I… I want to go with you. I'm going to run to the restroom, why don't you go get everything squared away and I'll meet you outside," she said. He nodded. Once Emma left, David looked at Killian.

"I can't believe you did that for her… she deserves it, don't get me wrong, but she's never met anyone that cared about her that much. I-I'm glad. You're good for her. She's happy. Don't break her heart…" His fiancée interrupted him.

"Or I'll kill you!" Mary Margaret said. They laughed, but Killian could feel the truth in their words. They loved Emma. It didn't surprise them, who wouldn't love Emma. She was smart, funny, dedicated, and sweet. The trio got up and walked to the auction desk. Once Killian got it all set up, he stood with the pair to wait for Emma outside. A minute later, she met the group outside. Killian noticed that she was rubbing her arms, clearly cold. He immediately slipped off his jacket and put it around her arms. She mumbled a thanks and said goodbye to her dearest friends, promising to call them soon. The ride home in the limo was quick and the tension could have been cut with a knife. As soon as they entered the house, Emma stopped Killian in the foyer.

"Killian, I just wanted to thank you for the most amazing night. I haven't had that much fun in forever. I really felt like a princess," Emma whispered to him. Their bodies were so close that Killian could feel the heat radiating from her as she laced her hands with his once again. Before he could help himself, he leaned forward and his lips met hers. She responded nearly immediately, wrapping her arms around him neck and running her hands through his hair. He was intoxicated. High on the feeling of Emma Swan against him. She pulled apart from him, but then leaned forward and whispered in his ears.

"Goodnight, Killian," she said, her breathe fanning his skin. She pecked him on the cheek before whisking away into her room.

He made his way to his bedroom, lost in the memories from the evening. He didn't know what he was going to tell Emma, _if_ he was going to tell Emma, but he knew one thing. He loved her. He loved her as much as he loved the baby inside of her. And he was desperate to hold onto her forever.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: Once again, I own nothing. Enjoy this baby-centric chapter (although there is a major relationship development too!). Next chapter brings the drama and angst, so enjoy the fluff and happiness while you can. Killian's secret is soon to be revealed!**

Emma sat next to Killian on the sofa as he softly read Dr. Seuss to the muffin. His soft, melodic voice was lulling her to sleep as she softly rubbed her protruding stomach. Now 21 weeks pregnant, her stomach was clearly visible through her clothes. The baby was moving, she could tell – it felt like she had constant heartburn. Killian couldn't feel it yet, but she knew he'd catch it soon enough. He was being amazing. He rubbed her feet, went to the store at 3 am for Rocky Road ice cream, and satisfied her hormonal whims. His new favorite thing was to read to her and the baby. He'd read some article in the newspaper about how babies can absorb information in the womb, so he now read all kinds of books from Dr. Seuss to Tolstoy and played music from Beethoven to Mariah Carey. It was _adorable_.

Emma's feelings for Killian were complicated. She wanted him. God, did she want him. And she knew that he wanted her. And there were multiple times when outsiders would mistake them as a happy, expecting couple. But Emma couldn't get herself to let down her walls. She was just so sure that as soon as the muffin was baked Killian's affections for her would disappear. It wouldn't be the first time that she fell in love and got abandoned. She had to keep her distance. But it was so damn hard. Every time he gave her that bright smile or laughed at her corny joke or kissed her forehead or held her hand, she had to force herself not to read into it. It didn't help that he insisted that she give input on baby stuff. It made it feel like she was part of his family, but she knew she couldn't be. This was not her baby – it was his.

"So, love, I was thinking we could get started on the nursery today," Killian said after he finished reading the book.

Emma smiled, "Whatever you say Daddy!"

That's how she found herself at a local baby boutique picking out furniture for the baby's nursery. Killian was like a kid in a candy store, jumping from one thing to another, laughing and asking questions of the sales lady. Meanwhile, Emma's ankles were swollen and she was sweating, so she sat down in a rocking chair to get off her feet for a bit.

"Swan, come see this set!" Killian yelled across the store. She hoisted herself up and made her way over to him. Her eyes widened when she saw the beautiful nautical themed bedding set and classic wooden furniture. They hadn't yet found out the muffin's gender, but Killian had decided (after consulting with Emma, despite her objections) that he wanted to do something gender neutral – light greens and yellows. And right in front of them was his vision in reality – white bedding with a nautical anchor pattern in pale green and yellow. Beautiful, distressed style mocha wood crib, changing table, and dresser. And even a matching rocking recliner. It was _amazing_.

"So, what do you think love?" he asked, scratching behind his ear. He clearly wanted her to love it as much as he did. And she absolutely did.

Emma smiled at him, holding a stuffed anchor to her chest. "It's beautiful, Killian. I think it's perfect." Immediately, he pulled her close to him and wrapped his arm around her. As they pulled apart, she couldn't avoid looking into his eyes. There was a storm inside of them – such emotion swirling around. When he leaned in a bit, she leaned in the rest of the way, kissing him gently. He placed a hand on each of her cheeks, holding her close to him and kissing her sweetly before pulling away.

"You're baby is going to be so loved, Killian. I'm so happy," she said, smiling as tears fell. _Damn hormones_ , she thought.

"Emma, I want you to be a part of the baby's life… of my life," he whispered and Emma felt like she was going to pass out. Her knees went weak and suddenly Killian was holding her up and leading her to a nearby chair.

"K-K-Killian, I…" but she was interrupted.

"Emma, I care about you. I've never felt this way. You are as important to me as the muffin. I- I think I may be falling in love with you."

"No, you don't actually feel that way. You just think you do because I am carrying your baby. It's totally normal. You feel a connection to the mother of your child," she whispered. Killian kneeled down in front of her, making eye contact. He took each of her hands in his.

"Emma, I'm a smart guy. I know that you feel it too. I make you happy, and you make me happy. Can't we see where this goes? I mean, you don't have to be the baby's mother… at least not right away. You could just be Daddy's girlfriend." He smirked at that thought. "Please, I think we both deserve a chance." She melted. She couldn't believe he cared enough to fight her on this. She'd never had anyone fight for her.

"I don't know. I'm not good at keeping people around… once my feelings are involved, people leave," she whispered, conscious of the crowd of shoppers observing their little conversation. _Damn Killian and his lack of an embarrassment bone_.

"I'm not most people. We've been practically dating for months. I'm not asking for a commitment, just for you to be open to the idea. For you not to shut me out." Emma sat there silently, lost in thought. Killian had been to every doctor's appointment with her. He went to "family dinners" with her at Mary Margaret and David's house. He woke up early on the weekends to make her breakfast in bed. He gave her his coat when she was cold and made sure that he protected her when they watched scary movies. And she absolutely couldn't deny that she cared about him, too. Or that she was attracted to him.

After a couple of minutes, Killian stood up, looking completely dejected. She had never seen him look so sad. Clearly, he'd assumed that she was rejecting him. So she jumped out of her chair (not easy with her current lack of balance) and grabbed his wrist. "I can't make any promises, Killian," she said. "But I can try. I want to try," she finished. The breath was taken from her when he lunged forward and kissed her with more passion than she had ever experienced.

 _Maybe this could work_ was the last thing she thought as they made their purchases and left, hand in hand.

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It was finally the day – he was going to find out if he was going to have a little boy or a little girl. Currently, he was in his garage workshop, cutting the reclaimed wood that he was planning on using to make a feature wall in the nursery. He had painted the three other walls a pale mint green to match the bedding and fabric that he and Emma had picked out a few weeks ago. Emma was inside napping… the baby was really sucking her energy these days. However, there were some benefits to her being pregnant. For instance, she was especially _turned on_ all of the time. Sometimes, she jumped him out of nowhere. He couldn't say that wasn't a perk. Killian was thrilled with the relationship he'd been slowly building with Emma. They went on several dates a week. Other than that, and the intimacy, not much had changed. They watched movies, hung out with friends, and talked for hours. It was amazing. He felt so close to her.

There was just one not so small problem. His secret was eating away at him. He knew he had to tell her. If he wanted a future with this woman, which he knew he did, he had to be honest with her. Hopefully, she wouldn't leave him forever. Every time he got close to telling her, something came up. The first time he'd tried to tell her, they had just made love – it was a couple of nights after his in store declaration. While basking in the afterglow, he started to talk. Before he could even really start, she stopped him, squealing. She grabbed his hand, resting it on her belly. After a few seconds, he felt it. A small nudge against his hand. _His baby._ Emma was crying and the awe on his face was apparent. His baby was kicking. Needless to say, whatever he had been trying to say was out of his mind.

Even now, weeks later, the thought made him tear up. His baby was really in there, waiting for him. All of the regret and pain that he had felt for years was finally going to be gone. He was going to make it right. This baby was his one shot at happiness. This baby and Emma.

Emma cleared her throat to announce her presence in the doorway of the garage. Just seeing her made his pulse speed up and a smile come to his face. She was 24 weeks now. It was a harsh winter, so she was bundled up in thick jeans and a layered sweater. Her hands were on her bump and her hair was pulled into a loose bun. "You ready to go, Mr. Handyman?" she asked, teasing.

As they walked into Doctor Whale's office, Killian found himself getting nervous. Sitting in the exam room next to Emma, who was in a hospital gown on the examination table, he started fidgeting. Emma reached for his hand. "Hey, calm down. This is exciting, remember?" She smiled reassuringly. He took a deep breath and calmed down a bit.

Doctor Whale came in a few minutes later. He completed the exam, asked Emma a few questions about how she was feeling, and did a sonogram. They were able to get a recording of the baby's heartbeat, which was thrilling. And then came the moment when Doctor Whale asked if Killian wanted to know the sex of the baby. Killian said yes immediately. He'd been waiting months for this moment.

Minutes passed. He squeezed Emma's hand a bit tighter. Doctor Whale smiled. "Well, it's a boy! Congratulations! I'll just go print off some sonogram images for you and leave you alone for a bit." Killian and Emma each shook his hand. As soon as he was gone, Killian moved closer to Emma.

"A boy…" he whispered. He'd really thought it was going to be a girl. Emma just smirked, clearly aware that she could say "I told you so" at any time. So she did.

"I was right!" she said, pulling him closer to peck him on the lips. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close and savoring the moment. He breathed in Emma's scent, basking in the happiness.

"Let's go home," she whispered in his ear. He was on cloud nine as he followed the center of his universe to the car.

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He was going to tell her tonight. He was going to lay it all on the line and beg her to forgive him. Beg her to remember that he cared for her, and that the person that he was in the past wasn't the person that he had become. That he was going to be a good father. He hoped and prayed she would understand. As he grilled the steaks, he got lost in his thoughts. He couldn't lose Emma, not to mention baby Liam. He'd decided on naming the muffin Liam after his brother, who died far too young. He hadn't told Emma yet, he wanted to wait until after he told her everything. When there were no secrets between them, he would ask her how she felt about _Liam Daniel_.

"Killian, you're going to burn the steaks," he heard Emma say. She came onto the patio in her sweatpants and a sweatshirt and bare feet, standing next to him in front of the grill. "Everything alright?" Killian knew that she knew him well, that she knew something was off. But she wasn't going to pry. She appreciated that he didn't pry. That there were so many things she hadn't told him yet. She gave him the same courtesy. However, she didn't know what he was hiding from her.

"I'm fine, just got lost thinking about some business stuff, love. You shouldn't be out here in bare feet – it's barely 45 degrees. You're going to fall ill!" He admonished her as he plated the steaks and led her back into the kitchen.

Emma just laughed at him. "I'm fine. I just wanted to tell you that the rice and veggies were done. It was only a minute." He kissed her forehead and then created a plate for each of them. Just as they sat to eat, the doorbell rang.

"Are you expecting someone?" he asked Emma with a full mouth.

"Nope, I'll go see who it is…" Emma got up and made her way to the front door.

Killian heard Emma greet whoever was at the door, but didn't hear them announce who they were, so he got up to join his girlfriend. Just as he was about to round the corner to the foyer, Emma entered the room followed by a teenage boy and a little girl who looked about five years old. His knees went weak as he looked at the little girl with her dark hair and blue eyes. He stared at her, unable to speak.

"Killian, this is Neal Gold and his little sister, Sophie. Neal says he knows you," Emma whispered, confused at the entire situation, especially Killian's reaction.

The teenager gripped his sister's hand. "I'm, uh, I'm Milah's son." Killian already knew. He knew exactly who Sophie was as soon as he laid eyes on her. And he knew who Neal was. Suddenly his whole world was crashing down around him. His life was finally catching up with him. He was going to lose everything.


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note: So I couldn't help it - I had to post this chapter tonight as well. Questions are answered and secrets come out. I still don't OUAT, despite my wishes. Thank you for all the amazing reviews – they really help keep me inspired. I'm overwhelmed by the love this story is getting from you guys. I am so glad you like it!**

Emma was confused. The look on Killian's face was one of sheer terror. Was it the fact that he was being reminded of Milah after all these years? What was going on? "Killian, are you alright?" she asked him, moving closer

"Yes, Swan, I'm fine. I was wondering if you would mind watching the little girl so that I may speak to Neal in private. It's been a very long time," he said calmly. A bit _too_ calmly. Even though she was suspicious, she nodded.

"Hey Sophie, my name is Emma. I'm a friend of your brother's. Do you wanna watch some cartoons with me so Neal can talk to his friend?" she asked the little girl, kneeling down as best as she could with her belly. When the little girl agreed, she lent her hand and led her to the living room, turning on Nick, Jr. for her.

After a few minutes, the little girl turned to Emma with a frown. "My brother brought me here from home. Mommy and Daddy are gone to heaven, he said. So we had to come meet Killy- Killian. That's what he said. You're nice, though, Emma. I like you better." Emma smiled at the girl, but her thoughts were reeling. _Milah's kids. Mom and Dad just died. I didn't even know Milah had children. I mean, she had to have had Neal before she knew Killian. But Sophie… she's young. And she has dark hair. And blue eyes. She doesn't look like her brother. And… oh my God._ Emma jumped up, shocked at her realization. The anger and hurt were bubbling inside of her. She took a deep breathe and turned to the little girl.

"Sophie, stay here okay? I'm going to go get Neal. Don't move." The little girl nodded and Emma nearly ran to Killian's office, swinging the door open roughly.

"Neal," she said, announcing her presence. The teenager and Killian both looked up and stared at her through red eyes. "I need to talk to Killian, now. You're sister is watching TV in the living room, would you mind joining her for a few minutes?" Emma was amazed at her ability to keep her voice calm. As soon as Neal closed the door behind him, she exploded.

"What the _hell_ is going on, Killian? That little girl, that girl looks like you. And she's what, five, six? You, you have a kid? And she said Milah and whoever Daddy is died! I thought she died six years ago? You lied to me!" She was fuming. Killian just sat there, with tears in his eyes, looking at her. He almost looked ashamed.

"I lied to you when we first met Swan. I just wanted to make a good impression. I didn't anticipate all of… this. These feelings. A relationship. I tried to tell you so many times…"

"Tell me. Now," she demanded, sitting in the chair across from him. She crossed her arms over her stomach and crossed her legs.

"I'll tell you everything. Milah was my girlfriend. When we met, she was married to a wealthy man named Robert Gold. They had a son, Neal, who was eleven when we met. I loved her – at least I thought I did. She said she was separated from her husband. We carried on an affair for about six months when she found out she was pregnant. I was upset. She had told me she couldn't have any more children. I didn't want a child, I was only 20 years old, but I took responsibility. I said I would marry her if she wanted – or I would at least care for the baby. She laughed at me. Said I was just a poor wannabe – at the time I was just starting the business, living in a tiny studio apartment, even though I had enough money to live comfortably. She left, went back to her husband. I threw myself into my business, trying to forget about her. I texted a few times about the baby and never got a response. A few months later, Robert Gold came to the office. He said he would pay be $1,000,000 to give up all rights to the baby and Milah. To let him be the father on the birth certificate and never bother his family again. I took it. And I didn't look back. At least not for a long time. Then Liam, my brother, passed away from a brain tumor. That's when the guilt started eating at me. I needed to make it better. It was too late for this child, but I could start over. That's what started my hunt for a baby that led me to you and the muffin."

Emma couldn't believe what she was hearing. He'd had a child. And he gave it away for _money_. Not to give her a better life, not because he couldn't care for her… because he wanted money. And she may have understood that, but he lied to her. He was just like everyone else. He lied, he didn't care enough about her to let her know the truth. She sucked in a breath, trying to remain calm and not cry. Killian was still staring at her.

"You… I… I can't even believe this. You lied to me. You promised me everything, made me fall for you, and the whole time you knew you were lying to me. You knew that I was forced to give up a baby because I couldn't care for him. And you gave a baby away for money that you didn't need? You chose your business over your own flesh and blood. I can't believe this. I can't…" she trailed off, beginning to feel tears prick at her eyes. "So, why are they here now?"

"Milah and her husband were in a car accident and died on impact. Neal is only 18, a freshman in college. He can't care for Sophie the way she needs to be cared for. Apparently, he's known about, uh, my relationship to Sophie, for a while. When his parents died, he didn't know where else to turn for her. They don't have any other family."

Emma was stunned. Neal was here to get Killian to be a _father_ to Sophie? But, what about the muffin? She felt angry, betrayed, and beyond disappointed. This wonderful, perfect man was about to drop her, just as she knew he would. So she struck first. She took out her phone and sent a quick text. When she received a response, she turned back to Killian. "David is on his way to pick me up. I'm going to move back in with him and Mary Margaret. I'll send people for my stuff later," she said, getting up. She grabbed her purse from the spare bedroom, gathered her vitamins, a few clothes, and her cell phone, and walked out the front door. Killian followed her outside silently.

"Please, Swan…" he begged.

Through her tears, she said, "And the worst part of it is that you made me fall in love with you, Killian. And now you've broken my heart, just like you promised not to do. If you still want the muffin, text or call David or Mary Margaret and we can coordinate everything through them. If not, I'll keep him and he will be raised with a loving parent. You decide. But you and I are over. Handle your other child… Goodbye, Killian."

Just then, David pulled up in his pick-up truck. Without looking back, Emma got in the truck and they drove away. Killian felt his entire future driving away from him. His heart was breaking. But he had to handle this. He had to figure out what to do. He had to fix everything. For Emma. For Sophie. For Liam. And mostly, for himself. As he stood in his driveway with tears falling down his face, he promised that he would do just that.


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note: I don't own OUAT… This chapter alternates between Emma and Killian's POV. I hope you like it! Thanks for the reviews. I'm so happy you all like this story.**

 _"Emma, it's Killian. Please, love, please call me back. I need to talk to you. Any time, day or night, please call me. I love you, Emma."_

 _"Swan, it's Killian again. Please, it's been two weeks. We need to talk."_

 _"Emma, please, you need to talk to me. What about the muffin? Please, Emma, I'm losing my mind without you."_

 _"Emma, it's Killian again. It's been a month… call me. I love you."_

Emma listened to each of the voicemail messages at the dining room table, Mary Margaret holding her hand as she cried. She had cried every day for a month, barely getting out of bed except for doctor's appointments. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Killian. She saw him looking into her eyes as they made love. She saw him laughing as they painted the nursery together when she swiped him with paint. She saw the tears in his eyes when he found out the muffin was a boy. But then she also saw the little girl that he'd hid. The little girl who never knew her real father, who suddenly had everything she'd known taken from her. She saw the muffin, a little boy growing up with his sister and father looking on, watching him. She was not in the vision – she was not a part of the family. She missed out on everything that she'd finally allowed herself to dream of with Killian. And it broke her heart.

"Emma, you need to talk to him," Mary Margaret said, stirring Emma from her thoughts.

"No," Emma replied.

"But you have to figure out what's happening with the baby. Does he still want the baby? Do you want the baby? This little girl changes everything! Please, Emma, you have to talk to him. For the baby," her friend urged. Emma nodded. She knew eventually she would have to deal with everything. In two months, the muffin would be out. And he needed a family. He _deserved_ a family. So she grabbed her phone and sent a quick text to Killian.

 _Meet me at the Starbucks on Main Street at 3 pm._

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Killian was overwhelmed. He was suddenly a father to a five year old, a teenager was living with him, and Emma was gone. It had been a month since he'd heard from her. David had come with a couple of his friends to get all of her belongings a while ago. He had to deal with his heartbreak and he couldn't let it consume him for Sophie's sake. Neal was staying with them for a while, settling Sophie in and helping her adjust before heading back to school in Boston. All of the kids' belongings, plus anything of their parents' that they wanted to keep, were brought to Killian's home. The Golds' home in Portland, Maine was closed up. One of the spare bedrooms was turned into Sophie's room, complete with bright pink walls and a princess bed. Neal took over the guest house out back so he could have his space but still be close to Sophie.

He had to admit, Sophie was an _amazing_ kid. She was smart. She was already reading and insisted on reading him and Neal a bedtime story every night. She was polite, helpful and kind. And she seemed to like Killian. A few days after the kids arrived, Killian and Neal sat down and tried to explain the situation to Sophie. She understood to an extent. She knew that Killian was going to take care of her. She knew that Neal was going to go back to school, but he was going to visit every weekend. She had started in a new pre-kindergarten and had made friends with a few of the other children. She was remarkably well-adjusted given her situation. And she was so much like him. She didn't like onions, she wiggled her eyebrows just like him, and she was really good at the puppy dog eyes that he'd perfected (at least according to Emma).

After a month, the duo had settled into a routine, with Neal's help. He taught Killian everything there was to know about Sophie – her favorite foods, what laundry detergent she liked, how Frozen was her favorite movie, and how to convince her to let him wash her stuffed bear. He had helped Sophie accept Killian as her new caregiver and it was strange how quickly it all fell into place. Killian immediately found a pediatrician in Storybrooke as well as a children's grief counselor to help her work through her parents' deaths. He had discussed telling Sophie how he was related to her with the counselor, who had recommended waiting for a while. So instead, he was a friend of her mom's who was going to car for her and Neal now that her parents were gone. Sitting in front of the fire, nursing a small glass of rum while Sophie took her nap, he thought back to his first sweet fatherhood moment.

 _About three weeks into being a parent, Sophie came down with an ear infection. He was frantic when she woke up crying in the middle of the night. She was crying and it woke him up out of a sound sleep._

 _"Killy!" Sophie screamed. Immediately, he jumped out of bed and pulled a shirt over his head, running for his life into the little girl's room. Flipping on the light, he ran to her bedside._

 _"What's wrong, love?" he asked, out of breath._

 _"My ear hurts, Killy," she said through her tears, clutching her teddy bear to her chest. Killian had no clue how to deal with a crying five year old girl._

 _"Do you, do you want me to go get Neal?" he asked, unsure of what to do._

 _"No, I want_ you _," she whined._

 _"What can I do to help?" he asked, willing to go to the ends of the Earth to stop her tears from falling. He felt her head and it felt unusually warm._

 _"Will you – could you lay with me?" she whispered, wiping her eyes._

 _"Of course," he replied before telling her he would be right back. He ran to the kitchen, pulling out the thermometer, some juice, and children's ibuprofen. He took his daughter's temperature and it was high, 101.3. He poured a dose of medication to break her fever and offered her a glass of apple juice. He promised to take her to the doctor in the morning while pulling back the covers and crawling into the bed next to his daughter. She curled into his side, her head resting on his chest. He ran his fingers through her dark curls and hummed softly. Within five minutes, Sophie was fast asleep. He thought about getting up and leaving, but ever time he tried she held on tighter. He kissed her forehead and closed his eyes._

 _So that's how Neal found them the next morning when he came in to check on Sophie. He shook Killian awake quickly._ _"Hey," Neal whispered to Killian. Killian just smiled in return, nodding at Neal. But he made no move to leave – he was to happy to move. Sophie's arms were wrapped around him, her little head nestled into the crook of his neck. As he closed his eyes to go back to sleep, he couldn't help but see visions of him, Sophie, Liam and Emma snuggling on a Sunday morning. Even in his happiest moments as a father, he couldn't shake his longing to have Emma by his side._

He was shaken out of his memories by his phone dinging. Checking the screen, he saw the next from Emma. He immediately called Neal, asking if he would mind watching Sophie at 3 pm so that he could go talk to Emma. When Neal agreed, he immediately began to get ready to convince Emma to take him back.

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Emma sat nervously inside Starbucks, sipping on her green tea. The muffin was kicking like crazy, making it hard for her to sit still, but she knew Mary Margaret was right. She and Killian had a lot to talk about. She didn't have to forgive him, but contractually, the muffin was Killian's baby, not hers. She had to keep him in the loop. In the past month, she'd created a birth plan, set up everything with Storybrooke Hospital and Doctor Whale, and filed all the necessary paperwork. She was ready to give birth in just less than two months. But she wasn't quite ready to give up the muffin. She had always been attached to him, even more so when she was in her happy family bubble with Killian. After that catastrophe, she bonded with the muffin more than ever. She really thought of him as _her_ baby, even though she knew she shouldn't. She would just get hurt in the end, but she couldn't help herself. She dreamed of nursing a sweet, black haired, blue eyed little boy. Of pushing him on the swings. Of being his mother. But that was a bad road to go down.

"Hello, Swan," an Irish accented voice jolted her out of her daydreams. He looked just as good as ever, with his dark, shaggy hair, five o'clock shadow, plaid shirt and dark jeans. And of course the blue eyes that haunted her.

"Hi," she mumbled, suddenly more interested in her tea.

"Do you want a refill?" he asked. She shook her head. "I'll be right back, then, just let me order." A couple of minutes later, he returned and sat down across from her.

"So, how have you been?" he asked after a short, uncomfortable silence.

"We are fine," she said, digging something out of her purse. She handed him the printed sonogram image to him. "This is the latest picture. He's still a boy, and totally perfect." He stared at the picture – in a few short weeks, Liam, his little muffin, would be here. And he couldn't wait. He hadn't told Sophie yet, but Neal was excited about a little one and promised to help when he was home from school for the summer.

"Thank you. But how are _you_? You graduated, right? That's exciting," he said, trying to make conversation.

"We aren't here to talk about me. We're here to talk about the muffin. Here is all the information about the birth plan. Mary Margaret is going to be in the delivery room with me. David will be in charge of calling you and letting you know when I'm in labor. You can come and wait, and once the muffin is born, you can do all the dad stuff." She handed him a stack of papers, not meeting his eyes. "I mean, all of this is assuming that you still want the muffin, considering your change in circumstances…" she trailed off.

Killian's gaze hardened. "Of course I still want my little boy, Swan. He's _my child_."

"Yeah, well, we've seen how you treat your children, haven't we?" she replied shakily. Immediately, his eyes fell and Emma felt her heart begin to hurt. "I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean that. I'm just stressed and defensive."

"You were right, love," Killian answered without emotion. Clearing his throat, he continued the conversation, as unpleasant as it was. "Anyhow, what visitation are you going want?"

Emma looked shocked. "You're going to let me see him?" she whispered.

"If you'd like, yes. He is half yours, contract be damned."

"I, I don't know if that's a good idea," she responded.

"Emma, I know you love him as much as I do, as much as you don't want to. Anyhow, just let me know what you do. I guess that's it then. Would you mind checking in after your doctor's appointments, so that I know that you and Liam are alright?"

"Liam?" she asked.

"The baby… I'm naming him Liam, after my brother. I hope you like that," he said.

"It's great, Killian. How is Sophie?" Emma had to admit that in the short minutes she'd spent with the child, she had grown fond of her. It had _nothing_ to do with the fact that she was Killian's child. _Nope, not at all._

Killian smiled at the thought of his little girl. "She's adjusting very well. She started her new preschool and has her room set up. Neal went back to Boston this week for school, so she's been a bit down, but we are adapting together. He's here this weekend, though. Thank you for asking."

"No problem. She seems like a great kid," Emma said, getting up from the booth. Killian followed her and opening the door for her.

"She is. I guess I'll see you soon, Emma. Goodbye," he said, leaning over and brushing a kiss against her cheek. As she watched him drive away, she couldn't stop the tears from falling. Sitting on the curb, she murmured silently to the muffin – Liam, about how loved he was as she waited for Mary Margaret to come pick her up.


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note: I am overwhelmed by the love this story has gotten! Thank you guys for the support, I really appreciate it… it is really affirming for me as an author that you all like it. I hope you all like the rest of it just as much!**

Emma was exhausted. Physically, mentally, emotionally exhausted. Without Killian, pregnancy was ten times harder than it had been. She had David and Mary Margaret, but they both had full time jobs and social lives, she didn't want them to be obligated to her. So she didn't complain, she didn't ask for help. Instead, she sucked it up just like she had when she was seventeen. Mary Margaret had tried to talk to her. David had tried to talk to her. But she didn't want to talk. She wanted to sulk and be miserable by herself. She wanted to mourn her relationship. So that was exactly what she did.

She heard a knock on the front door of the apartment. Dragging herself from her bed, she moved to answer the door. She didn't even care that she was wearing sweatpants and a holey tee shirt or that her hair was in a messy bun on the top of her head. Swinging the door open, her eyes widened when she saw the woman standing on the other side of it.

Standing there in her tailored pencil skirt suit and black high heels was Regina Mills-Hood. She was checking her phone, sunglasses atop her perfect, black bobbed hair. She was the epitome of a powerful woman. Luckily, she had found her match in the equally powerful and confident Robin Hood, her husband of ten years. The woman looked up, smiling with her bright red lips.

"Regina, hey! What are you doing here? Mary Margaret is at work. Shouldn't you be at work, too?" she asked, opening the door further and inviting Regina inside.

"Hello, Emma. I was in the neighborhood and I wanted to stop by…" Regina trailed off.

Emma laughed. She just couldn't help it, the idea of Regina "being in the neighborhood" was ridiculous. Regina never came to this side of Storybrooke except to visit Mary Margaret and David. "Oh come on, Regina, why are you really here?"

The brunette rolled her eyes. "Okay, fine. Mary Margaret called me and asked me to come talk to you. She's worried about you and said you refused to talk to her or David. So I came by on my lunch."

"So she thought I'd talk to _you_ of all people?" Emma asked incredulously.

"Yes, well, she figured I could talk some sense into you _exactly because_ of our relationship. Tell me, did you tell Killian about Henry?" Regina asked, making herself comfortable on the sofa in Mary Margaret's living room.

"I, uh, he knows I had a healthy pregnancy in the past," she said hesitantly.

"But you didn't tell him that not only do you _know_ who adopted your child, but you are in fact 'Aunt Emma' to said child? You didn't tell him that _I_ have your child? The girl you grew up with, your best friend's stepsister? You didn't tell him _about Henry_?"

"He said he was your business partner. That you knew Milah…"

"Yes, dear, that's all true," Regina interrupted, frustrated by the change in topic. "I introduced Killian and Milah. Not for a romantic relationship, mind you, but because she was wealthy and I thought the Golds could be great investors in the business during its initial stages. Milah and I went to business school together. When I introduced them, sparks apparently flew. The two of them carried on an affair. Milah actually left her husband and moved in with Killian. But then, well you know what happened when she found out she was pregnant…" Regina trailed off.

"He didn't tell me anything about that. He told me Milah died when she was pregnant, _six years ago._ He lied to me, Regina. A huge lie," Emma argued.

"Kind of like you telling him about your 'closed' adoption…" Regina pointed out. Emma blushed lightly.

"That's different!"

"How is it any different? He didn't know you, he didn't want to make it seem like he had baggage, and then, when it became more, he didn't know how to tell you, to explain… you did the same thing, Emma." Emma was crying now, again. _Damn pregnancy hormones!_ , she thought, wiping the tears on her sleeve.

"But he just abandoned his kid – for money! I mean, I gave Henry up to give him a better life. I was seventeen. I was way too young to provide for a kid. You and Robin were wealthy, settled, married, and, and…"

"Yeah, and he wasn't poor, or seventeen, but he was unstable and alone. Milah went back to her husband, he was starting a new business, he was struggling. He was only twenty years old. Robert Gold offered everything to his child that you wanted for yours," Regina added. Emma was hysterical. It was true. She'd thrown everything she had with Killian away because he had done the _exact same_ thing that she did. She was a horrible person. She ruined his happiness and her own, because of something that, yes, he should have told her. But she _still_ hadn't told him of Henry… she was such a hypocrite.

She got up quickly, wanting a glass of water, when she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her stomach. "Reg, Regina… something's wrong…" she mumbled, before falling back onto the couch gasping in pain and noticing the blood on her pants.

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Killian, Tink, and Sophie were setting up the new playroom at his company. It was an empty office adjoining his which had thus far only been a storage room between his and Tinks' offices. Tink had spent the better part of the week directing all kinds of decorators to come in and make it a little girl's dream. There was a play kitchen set, a small classroom, a dollhouse, a small bed in case she needed to nap or was sick, a television, and a bunch of other toys and dolls scattered around the room. Not to mention the purple, sparkly wallpaper hanging on the walls. It was basically Tink's dream room. Luckily, it seemed that Tink and Sophie had very similar styles despite the twenty year age difference.

Killian was putting the finishing touches on the bed while Tink and Sophie were placing the dolls around the small tea party table when the main work line rang. Tink ran to answer it, laughing at something Sophie had said. The two got along remarkably well, but then again everyone got along with Tink.

A couple of minutes later, Killian was sorting a few books when Tink walked back into the room, pale and teary eyed. "Killian, can I, um, speak to you… in private please?" she whispered.

He told Sophie to stay and play and followed Tink back into his office. "What's wrong, Tink?" he asked, concerned. It took something very serious to make the ever-happy Tink this upset.

"That was Regina. It's Emma. She's in the hospital. She apparently had some sharp pains in her stomach and then there was some bleeding…" Killian fell into his chair, gasping for breath.

"No," he whispered. "Is she alright? Is the baby okay?"

"Regina didn't know. She rode in the ambulance with her, but when they got to the hospital they whisked her away without saying anything. Mary Margaret and David are on their way and they asked Regina to call you."

"Killy," a small voice said. He looked up to find his little girl clutching her stuffed bear. "What's wrong with Emma?" Even after 6 weeks, Sophie remembered Emma and mentioned her frequently.

"She had to go to the hospital because of the baby, love," he explained, pulling his daughter onto his lap.

"When Mommy and Dad went to the hospital, Neal said they died. They aren't gonna come back. Is that gonna happen to Emma?" she asked, glassy eyed. She'd been asking to see Emma for weeks. He had told her that she would see Emma when the baby came. Now he could tell Sophie was on the brink of hysteria at the loss of her "friend."

"We are going to go check on Emma right now, Sophie. Come on, Killy's gonna come too," Tink answered when Killian found himself at a loss for words. He blindly followed Tink to his car, handing her the keys and sliding into the front passenger seat as Tink put Sophie in her car seat. He stared out the window, unable to focus on anything other than the worry that was engulfing him, as Tink drove. Emma and his baby were in danger. They could die. He could lose them for good. The short ride to the hospital felt like it took hours, and when they arrived Killian all but jumped out of the moving car.

"Go, I'll get her and meet you inside," Tink said, noticing him stop to get Sophie.

"Thank you, Tink," he said, breaking into a run towards the emergency room. When he got inside the doors, he found Mary Margaret, David, and Regina sitting in the waiting area. Regina was hugging a sobbing Mary Margaret close while David grasped his fiancée's hand.

"Is she okay?" he asked, not even announcing his presence.

Mary Margaret wiped away tears and looked up. "T-They won-t, won't tell u-us any-anything. You're her emer-emergency c-contact…" He sprinted over to the desk just as Tink and Sophie entered the building and went straight to group. Tink had never met Mary Margaret or David, but she immediately pulled them both into hugs before sitting down and placing Sophie on her lap.

"Hello, my name is Killian Jones. My, uh, girlfriend, Emma Swan, was brought in a few minutes ago. I- I need… please tell me what's going on!" The nurse at the desk called back and then told him to go to room 2C. After telling Tink and the others where he was going, and reassuring Sophie that he would be back and that everything would be okay, he went to the room. As he pulled back the curtain that was wrapped around the bed, he was shocked at what he found.

 **Cliffhanger, anyone? Sorry, I promise to post the next chapter soon! Please review!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's Note: I still don't own OUAT. Please continue to let me know what you think. I did some research on the medical conditions to try to get it accurate, but please forgive me if something isn't right (for the sake of the story). Also, my computer is still messed up so I'm posting from my iPad which is why I took so long to post this chapter. Please forgive typos or errors.**

Killian stood there awkwardly, staring at Emma on the hospital bed. She had tubes in her mouth and her arms. She was pale and her eyes were closed. He had been prepared for chaos – for a bunch of medical staff running around ensuring that his beloved was alright. Instead, there was one nurse there, checking the machinery.

"Excuse me, lass," Killian said, announcing his presence. She turned and looked at him, a stern look on her face. "I'm Killian Jones. This is my girlfriend and my baby. Can you please tell me what's going on?"

The nurse's eyes softened. "Oh, hello. My name is Belle French, I am Ms. Swan's nurse. The baby is alright, the blood was just some normal spotting. Not terribly unusual at this point in pregnancy, especially given her preeclampsia. "

"I'm sorry, her what?" he asked.

"She has preeclampsia. Her blood pressure spiked, which is dangerous for both her and the baby. Luckily, it seems controllable with blood pressure medication and bed rest. The doctor wants her to stay in the hospital until she delivers, though, as a precaution. It's likely that she will need to deliver the baby early. She is currently 35 weeks pregnant. The doctor wants her to make it to at least 38 weeks to ensure the health of the baby, or at least as long as she can make it," the nurse explained.

"So, she's… okay?" he asked.

"She's stable and being monitored and treated. Unfortunately, the only cure for preeclampsia is delivering the baby. But there are many risks to delivering now, as long as we can keep her and the baby stable. That's why we are keeping her here, so if something changes we can deliver immediately. We will be moving her upstairs in a bit."

Killian sighed, breathing a sigh of relief. "Is she just asleep then?" he asked.

"Yes, she's asleep. She was really worked up and then with the high blood pressure, she's exhausted. Her friend out there said she hasn't been sleeping well, so we encouraged her to try to sleep. Finally, she dozed off a while ago. Will you be staying with her?"

"Yes, I think so. I have to make arrangements for my daughter, but I want to stay. Also, please run this through my insurance," he said, handing her his insurance card. "And I'd like her to have a private room, please."

"Alright," Belle replied. "I'll call upstairs and let them know. They should be down in a few minutes to bring her up. If you don't mind sitting in the waiting room, I will personally come find you after she is moved and the insurance is run," Bell assured him.

"Thank you, lass," he said, moving forward to gently kiss Emma on the forehead and shaking Belle's hand. He then went back out to the waiting room. Sophie immediately ran to him.

"Is- is she okay, Killy?" she asked through her tears.

"She's going to be okay, love. Come, lets go sit with Tink and the others and I'll tell you." They sat down with the rest of the group and Killian explained to the adults before turning to the little girl. "She's going to be alright, Sophie. Remember how I told you how Emma was going to have a baby and she was going to be the Mommy and I was going to be the Daddy?" He paused as she nodded. "Well, the baby may come sooner than we thought. But it's okay. You'll be able to visit Emma soon, if you want." She nodded again, before resting her head on his chest and drifting off to sleep.

Mary Margaret smiled at him. "You're a good dad, Killian. She's precious."

"Thanks, lass. I'm learning. It's definitely a learning curve, but we are getting along. Neal helped tremendously. He visits nearly every weekend. She's in counseling to help her figure everything out. We haven't broached the topic of me being 'dad' yet, but we are adjusting well. She is aware that Liam is coming and that there's going to be a real life baby. She seems to think he will be her brother like Neal, which technically he is, so I guess it works." Mary Margaret grinned wider and squeezed his arm, which was still wrapped around his daughter.

"Mr. Jones," Belle called. He handed Sophie over to Mary Margaret and met the nurse. "Emma has been moved to the third floor east wing, room 10. Her nurse will be Blue. Her doctors will be her OB/GYN, Doctor Whale, and Doctor Jefferson Hatter. You can go up at any time," she said, handing him his insurance card. After thanking Belle, he gathered up his daughter, informed the group, and led everyone upstairs.

Emma was awake when they got upstairs. She smiled as her friends walked in, but it dropped when Killian and Sophie entered, before quickly being replaced by a less-than-genuine grin. Killian put Sophie down and the little girl immediately ran to Emma's bedside.

"Emma! You're okay! Me and Killy and Tink and your friends were so worried. We love you. But you're okay! Killy said the baby is okay too. Is that true?" Sophie asked, holding Emma's hand. The smile on Emma's face morphed back into the natural one that made her glow, even with her pale face.

"Liam is alright, Sophie. So am I. How are you? I missed you," Emma said, scooting over to allow Sophie to come and sit on the bed next to her. Sophie started talking away, unaware that the adults weren't really paying attention.

"Now that we know you're okay, we are going to head out, Emma. We'll be back to visit tomorrow after work, alright?" David said. Emma nodded and accepted hugs from Regina, David and Mary Margaret, who then each hugged Sophie (who had, of course, already wrapped each of them around her finger), and then Killian before leaving. Tink excused herself a few moments later. Then it was just the three of them. Sophie fell asleep and Killian moved her to the couch before sitting in a chair next to the bed.

"You don't have to stay, you know," Emma whispered, looking at him.

"Of course I do, love. I called Sophie's nanny to come pick her up and stay with her tonight. Tomorrow is Saturday and Neal will be home around 10 am. I texted him and he's fine being with Sophie so I can be here, at least until Monday morning," he said, adamant that he was not leaving Emma.

"My first baby – I lied to you, too Killian. Regina's son Henry… he's my biological child. I lied too," she blurted out, blushing at how artlessly the words fell from her mouth.

Killian's eyes widened at that news, but honestly, he didn't care. It was great that Emma had some type of relationship with her baby. "I understand, Emma. You lied for the same reason I did. And you didn't wait to tell me until you were trapped in a corner after your past literally showed up on your door step." She reached for his hand, squeezing it. "I was so worried about you. I don't care about anything else. Emma, I need you to forgive me. I've been living for Sophie and Neal, but inside, I'm barely holding on without you."

"I forgive you," she mumbled. "And I missed you. And I… I think I love you."

Killian smirked. "Emma, that's excellent news, since I know I love you."

"Well, in that case, I guess I know I love you too," Emma replied with her own smirk. Killian leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. When they pulled apart, Emma frowned. "I'm stuck here until Liam comes out."

"I know, love, and I'm sorry. I can't help but think that if I was there this wouldn't have happened!" he said guiltily.

She put a hand on his cheek, guiding his face so he was looking into her eyes. "Stop that. This isn't your fault. And we both made mistakes, so now we're even. And in a few weeks, we are going to have a baby. We need to focus on our future, not our pasts." With that, she leaned forward and met his lips with her own again.

"I was miserable without you," she told him honestly.

"I was miserable without you and Liam too," Killian replied. "And Sophie hasn't stopped asking about you."

"We have so much to figure out, Killian. With Liam and Sophie and everything."

"Aye, we do love. But for now, lets just be happy and together. Just for a few moments. The rest of the world can wait."


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's Note: So this chapter doesn't have much plot, and very little Killian, but it answers lots of questions and has some character development. Disclaimer - I still don't own OUAT.**

Emma was bored. So beyond bored. Killian was at work - she'd insisted that he go to work even though he had been determined to stay at the hospital with her. She had been forced to call Tink, who came to the hospital and dragged Killian out, to get him to leave. But now she was regretting having forced him to leave. She had underestimated how dull it would be to lay in a hospital bed all day watching television. Soap operas were so not her style. Game shows and court shows could only be watched for so long before they became boring.

Getting lost in her thoughts, Emma reflected on the amazing weekend that had just ended. Despite being stuck in a hospital bed, she was sure this was one of the best weekends of her life. Killian had been glued to her bedside and Sophie, Neal, Tink, Mary Margaret, David, and Regina and her family had all visited.

On Saturday, Neal brought Sophie to the hospital. Emma had smiled at the sight of the girl wearing jeans, a sweater, and little girl style knee high boots. She then laughed when Sophie slid on a red leather jacket. "Look Emma!" she had exclaimed, letting go of her brother's hand and running to the empty chair near Emma's hospital bed. "I look like you! Isn't it cool?" Emma had been so flattered that tears had pricked at the corners of her eyes. Killian had squeezed her hand, smiling at her. The four of them played Monopoly, Life, and a host of other board games that Neal had brought. They spent the entire day together before Neal took Sophie home to sleep. Then Emma and Killian had stayed up late into the night, talking about everything and nothing.

On Sunday, Mary Margaret and David stopped by, followed by Regina and her entire family. Killian met Henry for the first time. Afraid that it would be awkward, Emma bit her nails in anticipation. But she had no reason to be nervous. Immediately, Killian adapted to the boy, along with Regina's other two children, Roland and Cora. He quickly became engrossed in conversation with the kids. When Emma met Regina's gaze, the older woman winked at her - a silent emI told you so. /emKillian went home for a bit to check on Sophie before showing up at the hospital again not even half an hour later with the girl in tow. "She wouldn't let me leave without her," he had explained, smiling bashfully. Emma's heart had warmed at the little girl's utter devotion to her. That night, as Sophie read Dr. Seuss to "her" baby, Emma pulled Killian close, placing a chaste kiss to his lips. After Neal picked Sophie up, Emma fell asleep with Killian's head laid in her lap.

Now it was Monday, and her joyous, eventful weekend was over. Now it was back to laying around alone, with only the nurses to periodically provide her with comfort. It was only lunchtime and Emma was already ready to pull the IVs out of her arm and run from the hospital. Not only was she bored, but she was dealing with an uncomfortable bed, a huge belly, and a kicking baby boy that _clearly_ did not want to be inside of her anymore.

Stirring her from her thoughts was a knock on her door. Tink walked in with bags from Granny's Diner, Emma's favorite restaurant, and a smile. "Tink!" Emma nearly yelled. "You read my mind! I was so bored!" she smiled as Tink sat at the table in the room, dividing the food before bringing Emma her grilled cheese, onion rings, and hot chocolate.

"I'm here! It was the only way Killian would get work done. He said you'd be miserable here alone and he had contracts to complete and meetings, so here I am. I hope that's okay..." Emma nearly laughed at how insecure the bubbly blonde was. But she realized that it wasn't that long ago that she was the same way.

"I'm happy to see you Tink. I consider you a friend," she replied. Tink smiled brightly. The two women started chatting over their food before Blue, Emma's day nurse, walked in to take her blood pressure, admonishing her over the greasy food. After giving Blue a dirty look - _hey, she's trapped in the hospital, she at least deserves some comfort food_ \- turned back to Tink.

"So, how are you and Killian doing?" her friend asked. "He won't tell me anything..." she continued.

"We're doing really well. We've figured some stuff out, although we haven't completely solved all of our issues. Killian was really good with meeting my biological son, Regina's son, Henry. And I've been able to get to know Sophie and Neal. We've both moved past everything that we didn't tell each other. We are still deciding how we are going to handle Liam, but I am excited to at least know him. I don't know how I'll know him, but at least I will," Emma explained.

Tink nodded knowingly. "Well, do you want to be his mom?" she asked seriously.

Emma choked on her onion ring, taken aback by the question. "I... uh, um, I..." she sputtered. "I. I think so, yeah. I do," she said, rubbing her stomach absentmindedly. She had to admit that she was attached to baby Liam, the muffin had stolen her heart just like his daddy. "Killian said he wants me in his life..." she added.

"Good. I think you want that too. So if you both agree, what's the problem?" Tink asked curiously.

"I mean, what if we don't work out? Then what? Liam gets shuffled between me and Killian?" she asked.

"Well, what's the alternative? He wasn't even going to have a mom at all, right? More parents that love him can't be a problem." Emma nodded at Tink's point.

"Yes, but Killian is also paying me $50,000. It's not like I signed up for this for free…" she added.

"So, don't take the money. Be Liam's mom… see where you and Killian go. Emma, I've known him forever and I've never seen him the way that he is with you. I don't think Killian is going to let you go. And Liam deserves a mom, no matter what Killian's original intention was." Emma could see the sincerity in Tink's eyes. So Emma decided to take a chance and ask the questions that had bene burning in her mind for weeks.

"Tink, can I ask you a question?" she asked hesitantly, sure that Tink would awkwardly refuse to answer.

"Uh, yeah, sure," Tink answered.

"Did you know Killian's brother and Milah?" Emma asked.

"Killian never told you our history?" the other woman asked. When Emma shook her head, Tink continued. "I met the Jones brothers in middle school – we all went to school together. Killian and I were the same age and Liam was a year older. Liam and I fell in love. We began dating when we were fourteen. We married soon after I graduated high school. Killian and I went to college and Liam joined the Navy. When he was deployed overseas, Killian and I became even closer friends, keeping each other company through the loneliness of losing his brother. When he began his affair with Milah, I warned him, as did Liam. He was blinded. She was magnetic for him. He didn't notice how self-absorbed or selfish she was. And he didn't seem to care that she was married or had a child. I admit, he was young and immature at the time. He was happy, so I swallowed my criticisms and tried to support him. Then she became pregnant. And you know what happened with that.

"Liam was largely gone during that time, so I became Killian's support system throughout everything. Liam came home from the war about six months after Milah left… Everything was great between Liam and I. We were happy, trying to have a baby. I went to work for Killian when Liam got honorably discharged from the Navy. Killian was an emotional wreck at first, with Milah and the baby, Sophie, but over time he decided to throw himself into his business and push everything else away. He and Liam drifted apart – Killian stopped answering phone calls and no longer wanted to come over for Sunday dinners. He even distanced himself from me, only speaking to me about work issues. The business became successful, but Killian began to lose part of his soul.

"Three years ago, Liam started having seizures. Doctors in Boston told us that he had an inoperable brain tumor. They gave him a year to live, at the most. I was there when Liam told Killian. I could see Killian's heart break. He fell to his knees in front of Liam, crying and apologizing. Liam, of course, forgave him. Liam was also like that – always kind and forgiving. The three of us became closer than other. And then, about four months after the diagnosis, Liam didn't wake up one day…" Tink trailed off, wiping tears from her eyes.

Emma felt her own eyes moistening. "I'm so sorry," she whispered.

Tink forced a smile onto her face. "It's alright… I'm okay, now. It's hard. I miss him every day, but I survive. Killian really changed, though, once Liam passed. He let me move in with him for a few months to get on my feet. We became better friends that ever before. And he finally realized that family is the most important thing. The Killian you know would never have even consider breaking up Milah's family, no matter what he felt for her and he would em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"never/em have given his child up. He's a better man. I like to think that Liam sacrificed himself to make me and Killian the best people we can be… I spend every day trying to prove myself to Liam."

"As do I…" came a meek male voice from the doorway. When Emma looked up, she saw Killian standing there, also with tears in his eyes. She beckoned him over and watched as he slowly walked over to sit next to her on the bed. She wrapped his hand in both of hers and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek, silently comforting him.

Once Tink had wiped away her tears and had a smile on her face again, she announced that she was leaving.

"Goodbye, Tink, I hope to see you again soon," Emma said as Tink leaned around Killian to hug her.

"Of course Emma. Think about our chat," she said as she gave Killian a kiss on the cheek and floated out of the room.

"So," Killian said.

"So," Emma replied.

"She told you everything about Liam, I guess…" Emma nodded. "What else did you two talk about?"

"Well," she started. "Baby Liam. You. Everything." Killian turned to face her fully, surprised at the mention of baby Liam, Emma guessed. She scooted impossibly closer to him in the tiny hospital bed.

"I love you," she whispered to him. His responding smile made her heart burst and she knew. She just knew that this was meant to be. Killian, Liam, Sophie and Neal – there with her every step of the way. A family. The family she'd never had was finally hers. For the first time in her whole life, she was confident in her happiness and someone's affection for her. And she definitely knew how she felt.

"I love you too, Emma. So much," Killian responded. And she finally 100% believed him.


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's Note: The story is coming to an end, sadly. Only a few chapters left. There's lots of big stuff in this chapter – I hope you like it. I still don't own OUAT.**

According to Doctor Archie Hopper, Sophie's therapist and Emma's friend, it was finally time to explain his relationship to her – that he was her biological father. So Killian was pacing the hall outside of the school, waiting for the bell to ring. When it finally did, he was surprised to see Mary Margaret leading a class outside to meet their parents and buses. When she saw him, she came over.

"I didn't know you taught here, lass," he said.

"Yep, first grade. I've been doing it since right out of college, I love it," she responded just as Sophie came barreling towards them.

"Killy!" she yelled, grasping her little arms around his legs for a hug. She was small for six years old, but was brilliant ( _not that he was a biased father or anything_ ). Her reading was getting better, especially now that she read to her baby brother every day. She could spell. She was great with people and animals alike – there wasn't a single living being that didn't love her. He was truly a lucky man. As usual for after school, her once beautifully pressed school uniform was now rumpled and a little stained. Her black, curly hair was escaping from her once perfect ponytail, and her empty lunchbox was hanging from her hot pink backpack. She was always a silly mess at the end of the day. Emma claimed it was because she had way too much fun at school. When Sophie finally let Killian go, she noticed Mary Margaret standing near them, smiling fondly.

"Mary Margaret!" she exclaimed before duplicating her hug on the brunette woman.

"Hi, Sophie. You're in kindergarten here?" she asked. When Sophie nodded proudly, Mary Margaret continued. "Hopefully you'll be in my class next year then."

"Yeah, that'd be awesome," Sophie replied excitedly. "Killy and Emma say I'm a really good reader, too. I could show you some time," the little girl said with an innocent smile. _Leave it to my child to sneakily ask to spend time with someone_ , Killian thought, before realizing how late it was getting. Mary Margaret responded (with a yes, of course) before Killian announced it was time to go.

"We've gotta go see Archie, little lass. Time to go. See you later, Mary Margaret." With one last small hug to Mary Margaret, Sophie grabbed Killian's hand and dragged him towards his car.

Half an hour later, he was sitting outside of Archie's office, waiting for doctor to retrieve him. He was fidgeting in his seat when his phone starting ringing. _Emma_. He immediately answered.

"Hello, love," he whispered.

" _Hi Killian, you still with Archie?_ " she asked.

"Aye, they haven't called me back to the office yet. I don't know if this is a good thing or a bad thing…" he told her.

" _It will be fine, Killian. She is seriously one of the most adaptable human beings I've ever met. And Archie assured me when I talked to him last week that he's handled these types of situations before. He knows how to do this_ ," she assured him.

"I know, love… I'm just nervous. I don't want her to hate me, or resent me for replacing Gold." Before he could continue, Doctor Hopper came out of the office, beckoning him to come back. "Got to go, I'm being summoned. We'll see you in a bit."

" _Alright, I love you. Good luck_ ," she replied.

"I love you too, lass," he said, getting up and going into the doctor's office. He pushed his phone into his pocket and sat down next to Sophie on the sofa. She was smiling wildly, a good sign.

"Killy, Archie said you're my blood daddy. Daddy was my daddy, but you're my daddy too. Is that true?" she asked him, turning her body to face him. With silent assurance from Doctor Hopper, he nodded.

"Aye, little love. I am your blood daddy. See, you have my black hair and my blue eyes," he said, turning her to face the mirror on the wall so that they were side by side in front of it. He held a piece of her hair up to his and pointed to his eyes, directing her where to look. Her eyes went wide as she took it all in.

"So… so that means that you can be my daddy now that daddy is gone?" she whispered. Killian, at a loss for words, nodded. The little girl scooted closer, hugging Killian. "I… I can call you daddy?" she continued. He nodded again. "And I'll be your girl, even when the new baby comes? He'll be my brother? You won't leave me?"

He nodded, saddened that she was so concerned. "Aye, love, I'll be your daddy forever, no matter what," he reassured her. Her little frown turned into a wide grin.

"Okay then, Daddy, can we go see Emma now? I miss her and the baby."

Killian let out a breath he didn't know he was holding and looked over to Archie, who was nodding and smiling. "Why don't you go gather your things while I finish up with Archie," he suggested. When Sophie went out to the hall to gather her belongings after a quick goodbye to Archie, he turned to the doctor.

"Was that… normal?" he asked hesitantly. He had not expected it to ever be this easy.

Archie chuckled. "Yes, actually. She loves you already and you've already taken on the role of father in her mind. We just confirmed that that was true for her. That she can love her first daddy and you both the same and that you won't leave her. As she gets older, she may have questions, but for now she's good."

Killian grinned, shaking the doctor's hand. "Thanks, Archie. I appreciate you helping with this. It was quite painless. Not anything like the event I dreaded in my mind."

"Not a problem, Killian. I wanted to talk to you. You know I was Emma's mentor when she was in school – she was a great student. There's an opening for a social worker position here and I was hoping to offer it to her. It's working with foster kids and adopted children. I want to wait until after the baby's born to officially offer it to her, though. Are you open to her working?"

"Wow. Yes, of course, she can work if she wants. I don't want to own her – I just want to be with her. If working here, or anywhere, will make her happy, I want that for her," Killian said.

"Good. I think she's a bit nervous about what being a mom and girlfriend may mean for her. You two should talk," Archie said.

"Daddddddyyyyy!" he heard from down the hall.

"I'll talk to her, thanks again Archie. See you next week!" he said as he walked out to the waiting room.

Ten minutes later, Sophie dragged him into Emma's hospital room. Emma was sitting up in the bed and Blue was there taking her blood pressure. As soon as Killian saw Emma, he knew something was wrong. Emma was wiping tears from her eyes. Sophie, oblivious, went over to a chair in the corner to read her newest book, so Killian immediately ran to Emma's side and held her hand.

"Is… is everything okay?" he asked. Emma smiled at him, but he could tell it was forced. It was more of a grimace than a smile and she still had moisture in her eyes.

"My blood pressure spiked really high and won't go down. Blue said they want to deliver the baby now. But he's not ready. He still needs another week to bake!" Emma wailed, crying harder. Killian just stared, unsure of what to say.

Blue joined the conversation, probably sensing the anxiety in the room. "It will be okay, Mr. Jones. At 39 weeks, there is no reason that the baby won't be perfectly healthy and happy. Lots of babies born much earlier than that are fine. He won't even be considered premature. He's been carried close enough to full term. We've begun the inducement process to start labor. As we explained to Ms. Swan…" Emma interrupted the nurse.

"But… but… I have more time... He's not ready yet. He needs to stay with me!" she cried.

"Blue, would you mind leaving for just a few moments?" Killian asked the nurse.

"Sure," she said. "Sophie, want a lollipop from the nurse's station while I fill out some paperwork?" she asked the little girl, who looked up from her book with a smile. As the two left, Killian squeezed Emma's hand.

"Now love, what's wrong? Aren't you excited for Liam to come?" he asked quietly.

"Of course. But, he needs me. I'm his oven. And… I… I need him. I'm not ready to give him up, Killian. I thought I would be, but I'm not. He's my baby – he shouldn't be, but he is." Killian had never seen Emma so upset and his heart broke for her – especially because he knew that she had nothing to worry about.

"Move in with us, Emma," he said, out of nowhere.

Her sobbing slowed. "W-what?" she asked.

"Move in with us. I love you, Emma, more than anything. I want you to be by my side. Sophie adores you. Liam needs a mom, and you deserve the family you've always dreamed of. I know it's a lot to ask, what with Sophie. You didn't sign up to be a mom of two, I know. And I also know it's soon. But I love you, and I want you by my side for all of it. I want to wake up with you in the middle of the night when Liam needs to be fed or changed. I want to worry with you when one of the kids has a fever. I want to spend hours with you at Toy R' Us as you painstakingly pick out Christmas presents. You are my happy ending, love. You, Sophie, and Liam. And one day soon, I'll make you a Jones. Please, Emma, I can't lose you again." He was crying now, too.

"Killian, I never wanted this. A family. After Henry… I figured it wasn't ever going to be my story. But I want it now, with you. I want it so much that it hurts. I… yes, I'll move in with you. I'll even say yes when you ask me to marry you," she said before leaning forward to kiss him. As they broke away, she smiled. "Rip up the stupid surrogacy contract, Killian, so we can have _our_ _baby_." He laughed before going over to his briefcase, where he'd kept the contract for the day she went into labor. He handed the document to Emma, who promptly ripped it to shreds.

"Well, now that that's settled, what do you say we have a baby, love?" Killian asked. When Emma nodded, Killian retrieved Blue and Sophie, who immediately made her way to Emma's side.

"Daddy said the baby is coming!" Sophie exclaimed. She was practically bouncing up and down, ready to meet her new brother. Killian's heart skipped a beat at _Daddy_ … and the smile Emma sent in his direction made it all the more wonderful.

"Yep, your baby brother is coming," she said to the little girl, whose blue eyes were wide with wonder and excitement.

"And you'll be the new baby's mommy…" Sophie said. Emma nodded. Killian could almost hear the cogs turning in his daughter's head as she connected all of the dots. "And you love my blood daddy. So does that make you my blood mommy?" she asked, so full of innocence and curiosity. It was heartbreaking for Killian to hear the hope in her voice. Emma was filling the role of mother already, and just like with Killian, Sophie needed assurance that it was okay.

"I won't be your blood mommy, honey. But I promise I'll love you just as much as your mommy did. I'll take care of you, and read you bedtime stories, and pack your lunch, and even make sure that your daddy isn't too hard on you. I'll be your second mommy. I won't replace your mommy, but I can be a mommy, too, kind of like how Killy is your daddy even though you had another daddy too. If you want me to, that is…" Emma trailed off. Killian could tell that her insecurities were bubbling to the surface. She wasn't sure that she was wanted.

"I miss my mommy," Sophie mumbled. "But you're a really nice mommy, Emma. I want you to be my mommy too. I can have two mommies and two daddies." With that, the little girl climbed into the bed and curled into Emma's side. Both Emma and Killian had tears in their eyes when Blue and Doctor Whale entered the room a few minutes later.

"I'm going to call Mary Margaret," Killian told Emma as he made his way back to her side. "Maybe she'll be willing to take Sophie. We're going to have a baby."


	12. Chapter 12

**Author's Note: I still don't own OUAT. The story is almost over - the rest of the chapters will consist of multiple shorter scenes… glimpses of life for our favorite family, rather than single scene chapters.**

Twenty-nine hours later, Liam David Jones was resting quietly in his mother's arms. It felt like a dream to Emma. She was a mom. She had Killian by her side. Sophie was on her way to the hospital with Mary Margaret and David, who had graciously watched her for the entire time. She had a family. People that loved her, people that she loved.

"Do you want him to be Liam David Jones or Liam David Swan-Jones?" Killian asked tiredly.

"Just Jones," she responded easily. "Remember, I'll be a Jones soon enough… I'm not letting you out of _that_ promise, Mr. Jones." She said it teasingly, but she meant every word. She'd be a Jones soon enough, as would Sophie when the DNA and paperwork went through. They would be one big, happy unit. Her boyfriend (almost-fiancé? baby daddy?) leaned in and cupped her cheek tenderly, his other arm around her and the baby.

"You don't have to worry about that love. I'm not letting you go," he said before kissing her passionately. She pulled away, not wanting to wake the baby before it was time to nurse him again. Though Killian had been prepared to bottle feed Liam, it was quickly decided after his birth that his mother would breast-feed him. When he finally latched on and nursed, a sense of peacefulness, of _right_ , washed over Emma. The abandoned child was gone. The jilted teen was gone. The distrusting Emma was gone. All that was left was a girlfriend, mother, and friend. A confident woman who was sure she would never be alone again.

And a few minutes later, when they filled out the information for Liam's birth certificate, with Killian looking at her with such love and adoration, all remaining doubts and insecurities floated away. She was loved and she loved. And she'd never been happier.

Emma was jolted out of her thoughts by Mary Margaret, David, and Sophie entering the room. David was carrying the sleeping girl – it was well after her bedtime after all. She was in her pajamas and sucking her thumb. When David placed her on the sofa, Emma couldn't help but compare Liam to his older sister. Like Sophie, Liam had Killian's dark, curly hair and pale skin. But she saw herself in his little face. He had her bright emerald eyes. He had dimples like her. He had her chin and bone structure. He was the perfect mix of the two of them. And she was so lucky.

"Hello," Mary Margaret announced as she came to the opposite side of the bed from Killian. She leaned over to give her best friend a kiss on the cheek and admire the baby. "He's beautiful, Em," she said.

"Meet Liam David Jones," Killian whispered as David joined his fiancé. David's eyes met Emma's and she smiled.

"You two the closest thing to family I've ever had, you couldn't really think you wouldn't be part of this," she said. "We, we want you to be his godparents." At that, Mary Margaret started crying so Emma handed the baby to his father and gathered her best friend in her arms.

"Thank you," Mary Margaret whispered. Emma saw David and Killian doing an awkward man hug around Liam's sleeping form. She would have laughed if she weren't so bone tired. "How are you?"

Emma smiled. "I'm tired but also so great… I'm a mom, a girlfriend, almost-fiancé', I have Sophie and you guys, and I… I… I'm just so, so happy."

"Soon, that will be us," David said, coming to his fiancé's side.

"What?" Emma asked.

"I, well, I'm pregnant. About 13 weeks. We wanted to wait until the first trimester was over…" Mary Margaret explained. Emma tried to sit up, but was unable to do so. So instead she pulled Mary Margaret down onto the bed.

"You're going to have a baby!" Emma exclaimed as loudly as she could without waking the baby (so really it was a whisper-yell). She hugged her friend close and then pulled David down to join. Killian kissed Mary Margaret on the cheek and shook David's hand. The baby started crying then, so Killian immediately gave him back to his mother.

"He needs to eat," Emma announced. Killian and David decided to go get some coffee from the local café, leaving the two women and a dozing Sophie alone with the baby.

"You're a mom…" Mary Margaret said, wiping away tears and watching Emma set up to feed Liam. "Sorry, it's the hormones. I've been crying at everything."

"I feel so guilty… I can't believe I didn't notice that my best friend was pregnant!" Emma exclaimed as Liam began nursing.

"Well, to be fair, you kinda had your own stuff going on. You've been in here. So I forgive you, although I am expecting an awesome baby shower," Mary Margaret said.

"Don't worry. The doctor said I can go home in two days. Then I can fawn all over you. Between moving, having a newborn, and raising a five year old, I should have plenty of time!"

"So, you and Killian are really doing this?"

"Yep, we are. We love each other. I want to be with him and the kids. And they want me just as much. Sophie said she wants me to be her mommy…" she said as she pulled her shirt back up and began burping Liam.

"Emma, that's amazing. I'm so happy for you!" Mary Margaret yelled. Before Emma could even remind her to be quiet, Sophie woke up.

"M-mommy," a small, tired voice called from the sofa. Mary Margaret glanced at her friend, eyes wide. Emma just smiled.

"Hey Soph, Daddy and David went to get coffee. You wanna come meet baby Liam?" As tired as the girl was, she ran to Emma's side. Mary Margaret pulled her onto her lap, allowing her to better see the baby.

Sophie leaned over and examined Liam carefully. She touched his hair, his cheeks, his arms. Liam was done eating and was in his blissful, post-meal happy time. He looked up at his sister with wide green eyes.

"He kinda looks like me," Sophie announced after a few minutes.

"Of course he does, little lass. You're his sister," Killian's voice rang through the room. Emma was surprised to find Neal with Killian and David. "He came in to meet the baby," Killian explained. Then he called a nurse in, who was more than pleased to take a family picture.

The picture, of Emma and Killian with the kids surrounded by Neal and their friends, went on their mantle as soon as they got home from the hospital.

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Six weeks later, Killian and Emma were huddled together in the nursery with a crying baby. They were both exhausted and overwhelmed. Emma's shirt had spit up all over it and her blonde hair was frizzy and unwashed. Killian had dark circles under his eyes and his hair was on end as he rocked Liam back and forth while Emma hummed quietly. Finally, after what felt like hours, the sick baby lulled into a slumber. Killian gently placed him into his crib and silently followed Emma out of the room. As they sat on the living room sofa, Emma sighed loudly. Just as they closed their eyes, however, out came a sleep deprived six-year old, dragging her teddy bear behind her.

"The baby woke me up again," she mumbled, crawling onto Killian's lap. Emma pushed the little girl's hair from her forehead soothingly.

"I know honey. Tomorrow, you're gonna go visit Auntie M and Uncle David. They said you can have a sleepover until Liam's medicine kicks in," she assured Sophie. Killian reached for the remote control and put on the TV for himself and Emma as he rocked his daughter back to sleep. Emma grabbed a blanket and threw it over Sophie before settling in next to the duo. Killian wrapped his spare arm around his girlfriend, and before long, the three were asleep.

When Killian awoke three hours later, Emma was splayed across half the sofa with her arms hanging off the side. Sophie was squeezed in between her parents, sitting up straight and fast asleep. Quickly, Killian picked her up and carried her to her bed, sure that she would be complaining in the morning if she slept all night on the sofa. As he walked back into the living room, he saw that Emma was still sound asleep. He picked her up bridal style and carried her to the master bedroom, placing her gently into their bed. Pulling the comforter over her, he smiled at the peacefulness on her face. The past 48 hours had been exhausting because Liam came down with a stomach bug. So, on top of the general difficulty of a newborn, they were dealing with vomit. Lots of vomit. He was cranky and didn't want to sleep – meaning that no one slept. That's why Killian was so happy that, finally, Emma was sleeping. She'd been so nervous about Liam that Killian couldn't get her to rest at all, as much as he insisted that she sleep whenever Liam slept. But now, here she was, sleeping soundly. And Killian had never seen such a beautiful sight, even with spit up and frizz.

Emma had bloomed into the kind of mother he knew she had been scared that she would never be. She was dedicated, loving, and supportive with both Liam and Sophie. And she seemed happier than ever. It was like she was meant to be a mother. And while their relationship faced struggles (what relationship wouldn't struggle with a new baby and a six-year old?), they were getting stronger every day. In fact, the ring was all picked out and in his safe, awaiting the perfect moment.

As he lay down next to his beloved, the smile never left his face. When she curled into his side and rested her head on his chest, letting out a contented sigh, he thought his heart would burst from his chest. Despite lack of sleep, a sick baby, and a cranky kid, he was happy.

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"Damnit, Killian, I said _NO_!" Emma screamed angrily, slamming her fist on the dining room table and jumping up from her chair before remembering that the kids were sleeping and settling down again. She just couldn't believe they were having this fight _again_. It seemed like every other day that it was brought up.

"But Emma, you've spent your whole life for your career. You're allowed to work, love. You don't have to stay home to be a good mum," Killian said, and Emma could tell he was fighting hard to stay calm despite his frustration.

"I _know_ that Killian, but I like being home with the kids. I swear to God, it's like you don't want me here with the kids!"

"Well, I thought you would want to contribute a bit, be independent," he replied. Emma stopped breathing for a second. _That_ was a new argument in this repetitive conversation. And she was seeing red.

"Wait a second…" she said, trying, and failing, to calm her temper. "You don't think I _contribute_? What, you think I'm mooching off of you or something? You're right. Taking care of a six month old, a six year old, a man who might as well be a third kid, and a household surely is _not contributing_ ," she spit out sarcastically. "I cook, I clean, I take care of Sophie and Liam, I make sure you're taken care of, I do everything Killian. I don't complain because I like it! But for you to say I don't contribute. Clearly, you think I'm with you for your money, because I'd definitely rather be here cleaning up poop and doing your laundry than having a career…"

Killian, for his part, looked sufficiently ashamed of himself. "I… I didn't mean it like that, love. I just meant, I mean, I know how you are such an independent woman. You've always taken care of yourself…" he started, before Emma raised her hand to stop him.

"I… I'm going to go out for a bit – to get ice cream or something. We'll continue this conversation when I get back and we've both calmed down." Killian nodded. When Emma walked out the door, she took a deep breath. She knew Killian didn't mean it the way his comment came out – anger and frustration had taken over for both of them. But he didn't know how much she struggled with the decision to stay home. She had always wanted a career, he was right. She worked hard and wanted to do it on her own. That ambition was only outweighed by the love that she had for the kids. She never, ever thought it would have happened… but it did. And he thought she was just saying that… he felt guilty because she gave up her career. She needed to make him understand that she _liked_ being home. She felt like she contributed to the family. Hell, she was the center of the family. It was everything she never thought she would want – and everything she could ever dream of.

When she came back home forty-minutes later, Killian was still sitting in the dining room. "Hi," she whispered.

"Hi," he replied, turning toward her. She walked over to him, standing between his knees. "I'm sorry, I know you're not with me for my money - I just don't want you to give up what you love," he mumbled, holding her hands in his and kissing them.

"I'm sorry too. I just, I get so frustrated with your insistence that I work. I _love_ being home with the kids. And I know you feel guilty – but it's my choice. And I made it."

"I'm sorry love, it's just… I don't want you to think I want you to be home or that you _can't_ work. I want to make sure you're doing it for the right reasons. And trust me, I know you contribute. This household would never function without you. I don't know what I would do without you. As long as you want to be home, I want you to be home. But if that changes, promise that you'll tell me?"

Green eyes met blue and Emma nodded before leaning in and kissing him. Killian's hands ran over her body sensually and he sighed, pulling her closer to him. She had to admit, she did love when they made out like teenagers. In the midst of all of the crazy in their lives, it was nice to know that he still wanted her. Before the kiss could get any more heated, Emma pulled away.

"Liam will be up for his feeding soon… then I'll be to bed. Why don't you go get ready and I'll meet you there…" she trailed off with a wink and a tender kiss on the cheek. Swinging her hips, she heard him groan behind her and giggled as she made her way to the nursery.


	13. Chapter 13

**Author's Note: I don't own OUAT. I hope you all like these two scenes.**

Emma slid her sunglasses down over her eyes as she sat down next to Sophie on the picnic blanket. It was an unusually warm spring day, so the Swan-Jones family decided to have a picnic at the local park. Emma sat Liam in between her legs as Killian arrived with a cooler full of sandwiches, chips, water, juice, and cookies. He unloaded the food before taking his place next on Sophie's other side. Emma took a few minutes to observe her little family as Killian handed Sophie a turkey sandwich before digging one out for himself. He handed Emma Liam's squash baby food, snapping her out of her staring. She started feeding the baby and waiting for her friends to arrive.

As the family was eating, the Nolans arrived. Baby Leo was three months old now and just about the cutest baby ever, besides hers, of course. David carried his carrier over and set it down next to Emma and Liam. Liam was giggling as his best friend arrived. He loved Leo, always doting after him as only another baby could – pulling his arms and rubbing his hair. The baby had his mother's dark hair and his father's light eyes. Emma leaned down to pick Leo up, smiling to herself. She missed having a baby. Liam was so grown up now, learning to walk and talk – he was _"obviously advanced"_ according to Killian. As Emma retrieved and cuddled her godson, she took in the scent of baby emanating off of him. She would never tire of that smell. Her baby was growing up, as was Sophie, and Emma couldn't help but want another baby. It was too soon, though, and she knew it. But that didn't stop the panging in her heart when she looked at her children growing up right before her or her dreams of another baby.

"Mmmm," Liam mumbled, trying to get his aunt's attention as she unloaded her and David's lunches. He aimlessly thrust his pudgy little arm towards Mary Margaret. As the woman settled down on the picnic blanket, Liam crawled into his godmother's lap, laughing when she blew him kisses. Emma laughed loudly at her son's antics. He was such a _Killian Junior_. Such a little ladies man. Sophie spent lunch filling the Nolans in on her latest soccer game ( _"Football, Swan"_ was all that Emma could remember Killian shouting from his place on the sideline – apparently, correcting her was more important than coaching). Following lunch, Killian, David, and Sophie went to play Frisbee while Mary Margaret and Emma stayed with the babies.

"So, how's everything going?" Mary Margaret asked as she bounced Liam on her knee. It had been a couple weeks since the women had been alone together. Having families tended to absorb a ton of time.

"Great, I started working a couple days a week at the Center… Archie lets me bring Liam in with me. It's been nice to work with the kids again. What about you guys?"

Mary Margaret smiled brightly. "We're great! Leo got his shots on Friday, and he was _such_ a champ. I went into school this week, did Sophie tell you? I checked in on the class and the substitute, Ingrid, she's awesome. We went out to lunch after – it was great. I miss being in the classroom, but I'm glad I'll have the whole summer with Leo, ya know?" Emma nodded. "David's been busy down at the Sheriff's Office… Oh, I didn't tell you. Sheriff Humbert is retiring and he wants David to take over for him!"

"Oh my goodness! That's amazing!" Emma yelled and lunged over for a hug, thrilled for her best friends. Just then, Tink arrived, dragging a talk, brunette man behind her.

"What's amazing?" Tink asked.

"David's being promoted," Mary Margaret replied, eyeing Tink's companion. "And you are…?"

"Oh, Mary Margaret, Emma, this is my, uh, boyfriend, Peter. Peter, this is Killian's girlfriend Emma and her best friend Mary Margaret." The duo shook the man's hand and exchanged pleasantries. Emma felt herself getting nervous. How would Killian react to Tink moving on? It had been years since Liam's death, but as far as Emma knew, Tink hadn't dated at all. At least she never mentioned anybody to Killian or Emma. And now she was bringing a boyfriend along for a family picnic? Emma knew it must be serious. While she was thinking, Killian abandoned Frisbee and came over to give Tink a hug. He glanced curiously at Peter before meeting Emma's gaze.

"Killian," Tink mumbled as they separated. Killian moved to stand near Emma. Tink was biting her lower lip, clearly nervous. "This is Peter. We've been dating for a while. I hope you don't mind that I brought him along." She looked down at the floor and shifted on her feet. It was rare to see Tink so nervous, but Emma knew how important it was for Killian to approve and be okay with her moving on after Liam. She reached for Killian's hand, squeezing it tightly as he stood silently for a few moments. It was her silent way of giving him all of the support that he needed. Suddenly, he smiled. A genuine, kind smile. _Liam would be proud_ , Emma thought.

"It's nice to meet you, mate. Care to play some Frisbee?" he said, offering his right hand to the other man, who shook it eagerly.

"Sure," Peter said with a smile, following Killian out to the field. Tink grabbed Liam and did their usual routine, swinging him around while he giggled and kicked his legs. When she put him down, he dizzily hobbled over to his mother, planting himself on her crossed legs. Emma kissed his head and sighed contentedly. She was happy, her family was happy, and her friends were happy. Life was good.

CSCSCS

It was early fall when Killian decided that it was time. Liam was a year and a half old, Sophie had just had her seventh birthday party, and his relationship with Emma was stronger than ever. So, one weekend when Neal and his girlfriend, Tamara, were visiting, he asked if the two would be willing to babysit overnight so that he and Emma could go away, to a small cabin that Tink's boyfriend, Peter, had in the wilderness a few hours from town. Of course, Neal was more than willing to watch his sister and de-facto little brother.

When he approached Emma, he honestly had no idea if she would say yes to the trip. They had never been away from Liam for more than a few hours, and definitely never so far away. When she said yes, with a laugh and an eye roll at his surprise, he was thrilled. Packing had been difficult, as Liam kept crawling in the suitcase and crying. They had tried to explain to him that Mama and Daddy weren't leaving forever, that they were just going away for a couple of days, but at 18 months old he had no concept of that. Finally, Neal took him to the guesthouse to play, away from the packing, to distract him. Sophie wasn't thrilled either. After what had happened to the Golds, she was always insecure about her parents going away. But she settled after Emma promised that they would be back to take Sophie to the zoo on Sunday afternoon. Overall, leaving the house was by far the most difficult part of the trip.

As they drove to the cabin, Killian found himself singing along to ridiculous boy band songs from the early 2000s and smiling as Emma danced in the passenger seat. It had been so long since he'd seen her so carefree. Killian, on the other hand, was a nervous wreck. This was the moment he'd been waiting for… and he was bloody terrified. When they pulled up to the cabin, he couldn't help but chuckle as Emma bolted from the car and entered the cabin, exploring the home with intense interest. Her excitement over the little things, an innocence she kept from missing so many childhood experiences, never failed to entertain him. Killian unloaded their bags and made sure that the ring was still safely in his toiletry bag before joining Emma on the back deck. The cabin was lakefront; the deck overlooked the lake and the adjoining woods. It was a picturesque view.

Emma pulled out her camera before taking pictures of the scenery. "Come here," she beckoned to him. When he stood next to her and wrapped his arms around her waist, she decided to take a selfie, capturing the moment beautifully.

"We should definitely bring the kids here sometime, if Peter is okay with it," Emma said. Their children were outdoorsy, always choosing to play outside in the fresh air. Killian was especially diligent in ensuring that he instilled a love of nature in them. He regularly took them hiking, swimming in the ocean and lakes, and on picnics.

"Definitely…" Killian agreed, snuggling close to Emma. She turned in his arms to face him.

"I think I'm going to take a short nap, if that's okay. I've been so exhausted."

Killian kissed Emma's forehead, his lips lingering. That worked perfectly into his plan. "Of course, love. I will get dinner started. Tink assured me that all of the linens and towels are clean. I'll come get you when dinner is ready." She nodded and kissed him chastely before turning to go upstairs. Killian immediately set to work. He set up the outside table with candles, flowers, and dinnerware. Then he fired up the grill and made some steaks that he'd asked Peter to stock up, knowing they were Emma's favorite. Within the hour, everything was set up and he went to wake Emma from her nap.

When he entered the master bedroom, Killian saw Emma fast asleep on top of the covers, still wearing the sweatshirt and tee she'd traveled in. She was curled in a ball, head resting on her arms and a golden halo of hair framing her face. He kneeled next to the bed so that his face was level to hers. "Emma love, it's time to wake up. Our meal awaits." She didn't stir. "Emma," he said again, shaking her lightly. She sighed deeply before her eyes flickered open.

"Huh?" she asked, wiping her eyes.

"Dinner is ready. Come, love." Seeing Emma made his heart beat faster and his anxiety revive itself. As she crawled out of bed, he took her hand in his own and led her to the deck. She gasped quietly as she saw it, gripping his hand even tighter.

"You did all of this for me?" she asked in a near whisper.

"Aye," Killian responded. She leaned into him, pressing a quick kiss to his cheek.

"It's beautiful." Killian had to admit that with the sun setting and the scenery, it looked like he and Emma had walked into a painting. _Perfect_ , he thought as he pulled Emma's seat out for her. As he served the food, he took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves. He was quiet during the meal. Well, quiet for him. Emma looked at him with a gleam in her eye.

"Good food, beautiful location, and my boyfriend is being silent. What's up? Am I that boring?" she asked teasingly.

"Nothing, love. Just tired I guess. Are you enjoying yourself?"

"Of course! This was such a great idea, Killian. We never got to go on that boat trip when I was pregnant…" she trailed off, probably realizing that she just brought up their previous separation. But Killian wasn't affected. That was in the past and it was just that, the past. He was more concerned about their future.

"Aye, I thought you would enjoy this. You deserve it Emma, you work so hard and do so much. And maybe one day, when we are old and grey and our kids are in college, we'll finally have time to take a yacht trip."

Emma laughed softly. "Yeah, maybe." Killian relaxed a bit, savoring the alone time with Emma that was so rare with two children and careers and responsibilities. By the end of the meal, he was mentally prepared. He watched as Emma got up, moving to the railing of the deck and looking over the stunning view of blue water and vibrant green trees. Killian joined her silently, getting down on one knee before tugging on her hand to get her attention.

When Emma turned around, he couldn't help but smile. A momentary look of confusion was quickly wiped away and replaced by a thousand watt, _totally Emma_ smile. Her right hand went over her mouth and she stared at him wide-eyed.

"Emma Swan, I've loved you since the moment I met you. I know we had an… unconventional start, but we are stronger for it. We have built an amazing life together and I can't imagine my life without you by my side. You're the best mother, lover, and support system I could ask for. Would you marry me?" Emma started nodding frantically as tears fell down her cheeks.

Killian gathered her left hand in his and placed the delicate platinum band on her ring finger. "It's amazing," she whispered, staring at her hand.

"It was my mother's. She told me to give it to my one true love. I never took it out of the safety deposit box at the bank. Not until you."

Emma stared at him as he raised himself to his feet again. "Not even with Milah?" she asked, surprised.

"No, love. Only you. You're the only woman I've ever imagined my future with." With that, Emma lunged at him, wrapping her thin arms around his neck and running her fingers through the hair on the nape of his neck. He pulled her closer and sighed with relief. He'd done it. He'd finally asked. And she'd said _yes_. She was going to marry him. He growled as she pushed herself closer to him. He lifted her up, wrapping her legs around his waist and holding her up by the ass. She pulled away, bringing a hand up to his cheek.

"I love you," she breathed out, tracing the scar above his scruff.

"I love you too, Emma. So much," Killian replied.

"You proposed to me while I was wearing sweatpants and a tee-shirt," Emma complained, wrapping herself around him even further.

"And you've never looked better than you do in sweatpants and a tee-shirt with that ring on your finger," Killian assured her. She leaned close to kiss him deeply. Pulling away slightly, she sighed.

"Take me to bed, Killian," she commanded. And he had never been so happy to oblige.


	14. Chapter 14

**Author's Note: I still don't own OUAT.**

"Absolutely not." Emma was not often the disciplinarian, but with Killian out of town for work she had no choice but to put her foot down with Sophie.

"Please Momma," Sophie begged through her tears.

"Sophie Ann Jones, I said no. Those crocodile tears won't make me change my mind. Now, go do your homework. _Then_ you can watch Frozen. You know the rules on Fridays. Finish your homework, and then you get to stay up late. So get moving." Sophie huffed and Emma chuckled to herself as she watched her daughter stomped away. She was getting more and more like her father everyday, just as stubborn and goal oriented as him. And a damn good negotiator like him, too.

"Liam, you're going to always do your homework, right?" she asked the two-year-old on her hip, moving his black hair out of his eyes. Killian kept saying he needed a haircut, but Emma couldn't bring herself to do it yet. He was her little baby; he wasn't ready for his first big boy haircut (okay, maybe Emma wasn't ready, but really, what difference did that make?).

"I good boy, Mama," he said happily, clapping and nodding his head. She placed him on the floor and watched him hobble over to his toy blocks, trying to run.

"That's right, you're Mama's good boy." Just as she was settling into the sofa, the doorbell rang. Expecting the pizza delivery, Emma rushed to the door with money in hand. When she opened the door, however, the person standing there was definitely not a pizza boy. She was a beautiful, tall, black haired woman. She looked to be in her late forties or early fifties, judging by the slight wrinkling and grey in her hair. She was dressed in a pantsuit, with a Chanel bag on her arm. Her Mercedes was parked in the driveway. She hadn't even said anything yet and Emma had already gotten the "I'm better than you" message loud and clear.

"Emma Swan?" the woman asked with a British accent. Emma was sure now that the woman was looking at her with disdain.

"Yes, and you are?" Emma subtly stepped outside, closing the door behind her. Something was off about this woman, though Emma didn't know what it was. She didn't want her kids exposed.

"My name is Jill Stevens. I am Milah's sister. I am here to claim my niece." Emma was shocked.

"I'm sorry, _what_?" Emma nearly yelled. It had been nearly three years since Sophie had moved in with Killian and two years since the DNA had gone through the court system and her birth certificate had been changed, naming Killian as her father. Emma had filled out all of the paperwork for the adoption, which was going to take place after the wedding.

"My niece, Ms. Swan. Sophie." The woman looked frustrated, staring at her nails with disdain.

" _My daughter_ isn't going anywhere. You have no rights to her. Killian is her legal father. We have the papers to prove it," Emma nearly growled. Don't mess with a mama bear and her cub. Emma was seething, grinding her teeth together to restrain her anger.

"That may be so, for now. But that is about to change. Milah did not want Killian to have anything to do with Sophie. I am here to ensure that her wishes are followed."

"So you waited three years? I'm assuming you knew she was here? Why'd you wait?" Emma asked angrily.

"That is none of your concern. I will only discuss this further with Mr. Jones. Here is my card," the woman fished a business card out of her purse and handed it to Emma. "Expect my lawyer to contact Mr. Jones within the week if I do not hear from him." Then she turned and walked back to her car. Emma curled her fists, her fingers turning white with the pressure. She resisted the urge to chase after the woman, possibly with a baseball bat, instead choosing to go back into the house and call Killian.

"Sophie!" she called. The little girl came running, probably just excited to not have to do her homework.

"Yeah?"

"You can finish your homework tomorrow," she said to the little girl, trying not to cry. This girl was her life. She couldn't imagine losing her. _She_ was Sophie's mother and always would be. She took a deep breath. "Liam's already in the family room, you go ahead and watch the movie. Keep an eye on your brother, please. I have to call Daddy about something important, ok?" Sophie nodded before rushing forward and hugging Emma quickly and scurrying over the family room.

Emma practically ran to her bedroom, grabbing her phone off the bed and dialing Killian. He was in London, so it was almost midnight there. She felt guilty for waking him out of possible sleep, but this was an emergency.

"Emma," he answered on the fifth ring, half asleep. "What's wrong?" As soon as she heard his concerned, calm voice, Emma broke down. The tears started rolling down her cheeks as she breathed quickly, beginning to hyperventilate. She heaved and sobbed for several minutes while Killian repeatedly asked her what was wrong, getting more frantic with each second. Finally, she calmed enough to talk to him.

"T-tonight, a w-wom-woman c-came h-he-here. S-said sh-she w-was Mi-Mi-Milah's si-sister. S-she c-c-came fo-for S-Sophie," she stuttered out, trying to calm herself down.

" _Jill_ came to our _home_?" Killian growled into the phone. Emma didn't think she'd ever heard him this angry. She sniffled, trying to collect herself.

"Yes," she said, happy that she had stopped crying enough to communicate. "She left her card and said she'd only talk to you about it. She said her lawyer would be calling." Killian sighed.

"Bloody bitch. I'll book a flight home right now and leave Tink here to handle the meeting. I'll be there tomorrow evening and we will handle this. Don't worry. My custody of Sophie is 100% legal," he said frantically.

"If I shouldn't worry, why do you sound so panicked?" Emma asked.

"Jill. Jill is not person to be messed with. And the fact that she is here after years makes me want to know _why_. She doesn't do anything without a reason. She has a reason."

"She… she can't take Sophie away, can she?" Emma mumbled, on the verge of tears again.

"Love, I promise she will not take our daughter away. She'll do it over my dead body."

"Killian, we need to get married. Like, _now_ ," Emma replied. She heard a gasp on the other side of the phone. "What if you die? I have no rights to Sophie. _That woman_ would take her away." A sigh came through the phone.

"Emma, love, you wanted a dream wedding," he reminded her. And he was right. The woman who had never so much thought of her wedding had been dreaming of it ever since their engagement. But none of that was important now.

"Don't care. We can do it again later. We can just go to city hall. I need to adopt her, Killian." Emma knew she was desperate, but she didn't care. The thought of losing Sophie literally made her heart split in half.

"Aye, love. We'll plan it tomorrow when I get home. Please call Neal in the morning, ask him if he knows anything…

"Of course. I was so panicked, I didn't even think of that."

"It's alright, you're upset. And I love you, Emma. You and the kids. I just booked my flight while we were on the phone – I texted Tink, she'll be staying. I'll be arriving in Boston at 5 pm your time, so I should be home around 7 pm." Killian added.

"We love you too. Okay, call me when you're leaving and when you land. And Killian, be careful. Tell Tink thank you for letting you come home."

"Aye, love. Goodbye."

"Bye." Emma hung up and made her way to the master bedroom en suite, hoping to make herself presentable before the pizza arrived and she had to rejoin the children. She splashed her face with water, dried it off, and brushed her hair. Just then, the doorbell rang. Emma ran to retrieve the pizza, then to the kitchen to divvy it up for the kids and cut Liam's. By the time she made her way to family room, Sophie had Liam sprawled out on her lap. She was playing with his dark curls absentmindedly as they watched the movie. At the sight, Emma had to fight the tears from returning, taking a deep breath.

"Pizza!" she announced, forcing a smile. The kids both popped up quickly, taking their pieces. She knew they were excited – Killian never allowed pizza except for special occasions. But secretly, Emma knew he just wanted the kids to value the little things, like getting pizza or a new movie, and not feel entitled even though they had anything they could ever dream of wanting.

Emma sat next to her children silently, just enjoying them as they watched Olaf singing ( _again –_ she was sure they would never get sick of _Frozen_ ). She picked up her phone, shooting off a quick text message before she settled in for the rest of the movie. At the end of the film, Emma shook Sophie awake gently. "Time for bed, Soph," she whispered to the sleepy girl, taking her hand and leading her to her bedroom. She tucked Sophie into bed and kissed her head, lingering a few seconds longer, savoring the moment. "I love you," she whispered.

"Love you too," Sophie mumbled sleepily. Emma closed the door behind her and sighed, relieved that her daughter was happy and safe for at least another night. She went back to the family room, retrieved a sleeping Liam, and brought him to his nursery, placing him in his new toddler bed and tucking his blankets around him gently. She kissed his head and turned on his nightlight before leaving the room.

Just as Emma got back to the sofa, her phone beeped. She ran to the door, relieved to see Regina standing there in her flannel pajamas and slippers.

"Regina, you're a lawyer right?"


	15. Chapter 15

**I will never own OUAT. This story is coming to an end and it's very sad for me - you all have been great. The next chapter is the last and happy endings for all :)**

Killian entered the house quietly, sighing with relief as he abandoned his luggage in the foyer. _Finally_ the most stressful travel experience of his life was over. He had been eager to see his family, to assure himself that they were all okay. The exhaustion of being at Heathrow Airport for over a day, not sleeping, a long flight, and a two-hour car ride from Boston was catching up to him. Damn the airline for delaying his flight. It was about 4 am Monday morning. He knew his family was probably all in bed; all of the lights were off. He made his way to find Emma, assuming she'd be in the bedroom. When she wasn't there, he began to search the house, until he heard the soft noise of the television. He found her in the family room, fast asleep in front of the television. Regina was on the loveseat, also asleep (and snoring). Mary Margaret was sitting next to Emma, watching late night infomercials.

"Hi, Killian," she whispered, before getting up to give him a hug. "Regina and I have been here since Friday night. We couldn't leave her and the kids alone. She was having panic attacks. She had Regina look over all the documents from court, over and over again. She's a wreck. We finally convinced her to sleep about three hours ago, it was the first sleep she had all weekend. She spent all last night crying and looking at your family photo albums."

Killian sighed, looking at the woman he loved. He'd give anything to take away her pain. His heart ached just hearing of the pain "I'm going to take her to the bedroom. You're more than welcome to use the guest room, if you'd like. And thank you, for taking care of her."

"That's what family is for Killian. _Real_ family always supports each other. We all love you guys. Anyhow, I was waiting up for you to get here, so I'm gonna take you up on the guest room offer. I'll check on the kids while I'm up there, you take Emma to bed. And just leave Regina… she'd sleep through a house imploding, I swear. When we were kids, I had to pour water on her head just to wake her up for school…" Killian chuckled, appreciating Mary Margaret's cheeriness and kindness (not for the first time). He kissed her cheek before gently picking Emma up and carrying her to their bedroom.

He finally took a minute to just look at her. Her eyes were puffy and swollen and even though they were closed he could see the red rims around them. Her sweat pants were stained and her hair was in a sloppy bun. When he laid her down in the bed, she stirred slightly.

"Killian?" she mumbled.

"Aye, love, it's me. I'm home now. Go back to sleep."

"So glad you're home…" she whispered before once again being claimed by sleep. He pulled the blankets over her sleeping form before putting on his pajamas and crawling in to bed next to her. Within minutes, with Emma wrapped in his arms, he succumbed to sleep.

It felt like minutes before Killian awoke to a quiet jumping noise. There was Sophie, bouncing up and down next to his side of the bed. "Daddyyyy, you're home! Wake upppppp!" she sang. He immediately jolted upright and quieted Sophie, not wanting to wake Emma up.

"Come Sophie, we don't want to wake Mama up," she whispered, carrying her out of the room. "Where's your brother?" he asked once he'd closed the bedroom door behind him.

"With Auntie Gina playing in the family room. She and Auntie Mary said we had to let you and Mom sleep. But they said you were home, and I missssed you," she said before putting her hands around his neck and hugging him closer. He savored her scent and the feel of her arms around him.

"Hi, Killian," Regina announced as soon as she saw him in the doorway. Liam was facing away from him playing with his blocks. He put Sophie down and reached down to pick up Liam, who yelped and turned around and, upon seeing his father, squealed with delight

"Dada!" he screamed, wrapping his arms around his father's neck.

"Liam, I missed you buddy. Were you a good boy for Mama and your aunts?" Liam nodded adorably, his black curls falling in front of his eyes.

"Mama sad," Liam said, frowning slightly. Killian glanced over at Sophie, who was now cuddled next to Regina on the couch. She was looking at him with anticipation, waiting for him to comfort them. So he sat down next to her, with Liam on his lap. She immediately scooted next to him.

"Mommy is sad right now. But I promise she'll be better soon. It's all going to be okay. We are going to be okay, alright?" Sophie nodded before sitting in front of the coffee table to color. Liam squirmed out of Killian's arms and went back to his blocks. Kids were resilient thank god.

"I looked at everything, it's all in order. She may be able to take you to court, but she can't do what she threatened," Regina whispered. "Everything is ironclad." He didn't really want to discuss this in front of the children, especially Sophie, but he also didn't want them to leave his side.

"Killian! I'm here!" Neal announced his arrival at the home with a yell. Apparently he was met by Mary Margaret – who probably admonished him for yelling – because the two came into the family room silently together. Neal picked up Liam and tickled him before putting him down to hug his sister, who was uncharacteristically quiet. Sophie had always been adept at reading social cues and, unlike her little brother, was old enough to understand that something bad was happening.

"Hi Neal," Killian greeted the man. Neal had just graduated and decided to move to Storybrooke to be closer to the only family he had left, his sister. He and Tamara, to whom he was now engaged, had made a home not far away. Neal was working for the police department and Tamara was finishing her degree in teaching at Storybrooke University.

"Hey," he greeted the other adults. "So… can we talk? Somewhere else?"

"Aye, Emma is still asleep. Let me wake her up. I know she'll want to hear this as well. Mary Margaret, Regina, do you mind staying with the kids a bit longer before heading home?" When the two nodded he turned back to Neal. "Meet you in the dining room in a couple of minutes. Then he made his way to the master bedroom.

"Emma, love," he whispered as he kneeled in front of Emma's side of the bed. He shook her shoulder lightly. Emma groaned.

"Sleep," she grumbled.

"Neal is here to talk to us, love. You need to get up," he said, placing a gentle kiss on her cheek. At that, she dragged herself out of bed and Killian followed her to the dining room.

"So, I called my parents' lawyer, you know the one that handled their estate and everything…" Neal started, hesitating slightly before continuing. "Apparently, my mom was leaving my dad. Like, for real this time." Killian's eyes opened wide and he could tell Emma was suddenly wide-awake by the gasp he heard from her. "She put money aside in a trust account for Sophie. It was supposed to get them started… She was coming here, to Storybrooke."

"Wow," was all Killian could choke out in his shock.

"Aunt Jill found out about the trust somehow. I think she's been looking for hidden money since my parents died since they didn't leave her anything in the will. Since it's in Sophie's name, she can only access it if she's Sophie's guardian. _That's_ why she wants Sophie. She's used to a certain lifestyle, but she blew all her money. So she wants Sophie's."

Emma rose from her seat to hug Neal. Killian couldn't help but love how compassionate she was – even during her suffering, she was concerned about his pain. "I'm sorry Neal, I know how hard it must be finding out something like that." Neal smiled sadly at her before turning back to Killian.

"There's something Jill doesn't know. The trust… the second named trustee besides Mom was you, Killian. So even if Jill got her hands on Sophie, she still couldn't get the money. I brought the paperwork." Neal fished around in his backpack and handed a stack of papers to Killian. He glanced at them quickly before setting them on the table.

"We don't need to money, Neal. Sophie is set for life as it is with our money and the company. You should take it. I'll talk to my attorney when we meet later today and get it all worked out. You've helped me tremendously and I owe you for everything I've put you through. Please, take it." Emma nodded in agreement. Neal had done so much to help them, practically forsaking the only biological relative he had left besides his sister for them. He deserved a great start to his life with Tamara.

A few hours later, Killian and Emma met Killian's family law attorney. He had received a letter from Jill threatening legal action. However, he was positive that the battle would be over before it even began… A court had decided Killian's paternity already. There was no chance in hell that a random relative from England would take Sophie away from her biological father. It was an open and shut case and he assured them that, by the end of the week, Jill would be gone from their lives forever. He also agreed to take care of transferring the trust to Neal. Emma cried happy tears as they left the lawyer's office. Then they stood in the street, just hugging and crying that everything was over.

Before going home, they stopped by the courthouse. It was a random Monday afternoon. Emma was in jeans and a sweatshirt and Killian was in sweats. And that was how they got married in front of a Justice of the Peace and two strangers who acted as witnesses. They arrived home to their children an hour later as Mr. and Mrs. Jones.


	16. Chapter 16

**It is the final chapter. Thanks for reading the story and I hope you all like this chapter – the Jones family gets its happily ever after! I appreciate all of the favorites, follows, and reviews. This story really ended up being one of my favorites.**

Six months later, Emma was standing in the master bathroom, staring at the mirror. She had to tell him, she knew she did. It was gnawing at her. Secrets never served her and Killian well – and this secret was just as much his as hers. They'd talked about it, of course. About after the second wedding, after Liam started preschool, after things settled down. But, as usual with the Jones family, nothing worked as they planned. While she was building up the courage, her husband snuck up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and resting her chin on her shoulder.

"Hello love," he whispered.

"Hi. Where are the kids?" she asked.

"In the family room waiting for their Mommy. I told them I'd come to fetch you since you were taking a while and they were excited for pizza night." Instead of the tradition of spending the night before their wedding apart, Emma and Killian had decided to spend the night with their kids at home being a family. That was just how they liked it.

"I, uh, have news." Emma turned in Killian's arms, smiling slightly.

"Bigger news than the fact that you are becoming Mrs. Jones again tomorrow – this time for all our friends and family?" She nodded, biting her lip.

"Yes… I'm pregnant, Killian." His eyes lit up and a grin emerged on his face.

"Truly?" She nodded again.

"Yes, I went to the doctor today. I was feeling sick. I didn't want to tell you until I knew for sure. I know it's sooner than we thought, but…" Killian interrupted her by picking her up by her waist and swinging her around in a circle. She started giggling, thrilled that her husband was as excited as she was. _I was stupid to be scared. How could I ever think this great man wouldn't want our baby?_ When he finally set her down, he kept his arms around her. "We should keep it a secret until after the wedding. One thing at a time, you know. What do you think?"

"Whatever you want, love. I'm just thrilled that we are going to have another wee one!" After another brief kiss, he took her hand, leading her back to the children. The four of them settled in for _Despicable Me_. And there, surrounded by pizza, candy, soda, and her family, Emma was at peace. She knew that things would be crazy again in approximately seven months, but it was so worth everything to have another piece in their family puzzle.

The morning came quickly. Regina, Mary Margaret, and Tink were chasing Killian away (to David's, where he would be getting ready with his groomsmen and Liam, the cutest ring bearer ever) before the sun was even in the sky. It was their own fault for having an afternoon wedding.

Before Emma even knew what was happening, she was in front of her bathroom mirror, sitting on a bar stool as a professional hairstylist did curled her hair. She heard her friends running around the bedroom suite, a flurry of activity in the distance. But she was too busy texting Killian to care. He'd been texting her all morning – funny quotes and thoughts to calm her nerves.

Her husband knew her so well it was unbelievable – he knew how nervous she was, even if she shrugged it off as nothing. She never thought the day would come when _Emma Swan_ , notoriously heartbroken, perpetually single woman that she was, would get married. And here she was, getting married again (to the same man, to be fair). Her stomach was full of butterflies (and morning sickness) and she couldn't stop biting her lip. Hearing from Killian had greatly calmed her nerves, bless him. But she was still a wreck on the inside.

"Stop worrying." Emma heard from behind her. She couldn't exactly turn around, considering that there was a hot curling iron in her hair. But she recognized that voice.

"Regina… I'm fine."

"You're lying. You're nervous. And there is no need to be. This is a happy day, a day where there shouldn't be any doubts. Hell, you're already Emma Jones, so suck it up, buttercup. Put a smile on your face and leave it there. Oh, and your daughter is coming in to show you her dress." With that, Emma heard Regina's heels click clacking away. Leave it to Regina to kick Emma's ass into gear.

"You look so pretty already," a new voice said. _Sophie._

"Hey Soph, thanks. Come stand in front of me so I can see your dress." The little girl did as instructed and Emma's breath hitched as she looked at her daughter. She looked so grown up in a kid version of the bridesmaids dress. It was light pink with an intricate lace pattern at the neckline. Unlike the older version of the dress, Sophie's had straps with the lace pattern along them and it went down to just below her knees. Her dark hair was down and curly, as she'd requested. Emma couldn't help but think of how stunning the girl was. "You look beautiful, Sophie!"

"Thanks! Aunt Mary asked me to come see if your hair was almost done."

"Yep, just about. So, are you excited?"

"Yeah, I mean, it's not like you and Daddy aren't already married. But now it's _official_ , ya know?" Emma nodded, knowing exactly what Sophie meant.

An hour later, Emma was standing inside the marina's main building. They'd decided to get married at the marina, considering their newfound (or re-found, in Killian's case) love of sailing. About a year ago, the family had bought a beautiful sailboat, The Jolly Roger, which they loved to take out on the Atlantic many weekends during the summer and spring. Today, the boat was the site of their vows. Since they were having a small wedding, Killian had suggested that they use the Jolly and Emma had quickly and wholeheartedly agreed. So the Roger was docked at the end of the long dock, which was lined with roses and tulips.

All of their friends and family were waiting with Killian on the boat, watching as Sophie made her way down the dock, throwing rose petals along the aisle runner. Mary-Margaret, Regina, and Tink followed on the arms of David, Robin, and Neal. Then, Emma slowly proceeded to the sailboat. As she got closer, she saw Killian, eyes glassy, smiling at her and holding Liam's hand, probably to prevent the toddler from running to his mama. All the butterflies that she had been fighting all day disappeared. Her husband and children were there waiting for her. And it was about time that they got their happy ending.

Her dress was simple, a white lace and silk strapless number with a long, lacy train. It was so _not_ Emma, which was exactly why she loved it. It made her feel feminine and beautiful. She fell in love with it even more when she saw the appraising look her husband gave her as his eyes slid across her from head to toe.

The vows were a blur of tears and joy for Emma, who didn't snap out of her happy haze until she broke apart from her first kiss as a re-married Jones. Sophie and Liam joined their parents in walking down the aisle. Killian wrapped his arm around his wife and carried their son while Emma had her arm wrapped around Sophie, smiling widely.

The reception was at the seafood restaurant at the marina. It was a small, casual affair, as their wedding had been. After dinner, which consisted of fish, shrimp, and chicken prepared by a wonderful caterer that Regina had recommended, the kids ran around playing with their friends and the adults enjoyed dancing and cocktails. Emma had gracefully requested apple cider in her glass, hoping to prevent any speculation about her alcohol avoidance at the reception.

After hours of dancing with her husband, Emma left him to dance with their children while she took a break. She slid her heels off, rubbing her feet as she sighed in relief at finally being off of her feet.

"You're pregnant." Emma stiffened at her best friend's voice as she slid into the seat next to her. It wasn't a question, it was a statement. She knew. How the _hell_ did she do that? Could Mary-Margaret sniff out hormone changes?

"I…uh…what?" Emma mentally kicked herself for being an idiot. _Way to make it obvious, Emma_.

"You're my best friend. I just know. I'm right, aren't I?" Emma didn't respond, barely nodding her head in response. Killian made his way back to the table and joined his wife, taking one of her aching feet into his lap and rubbing it gently.

"You knocked her up… again?" Regina said to Killian, startling all of them. Who knew when she'd joined the conversation, that woman was a ninja sometimes…

"Well, love, with these two in the know, I'd say the secret is out for all. What do you think?"

Emma smiled widely. "I guess so. What a shame." She leaned in a gently kissed her husband. "Ready to cut the cake? Killian nodded and stood, offering his hand to his bride and helping her stand and balance to put her shoes back on.

After cutting the cake, and trying to hold in laughter when Liam slammed a slice of cake into his sister's face (she had to give Killian a dirty look when he high fived his son), Emma was ready to depart for the honeymoon. A ten-day trip to a Disney World resort was exactly what the entire family wanted and needed. However, for the night she and Killian were staying at Granny's Inn while the kids stayed with David and Mary Margaret. In the morning, the family would be jetting off for their fun filled family vacation.

As she and Killian entered the limo, kissing their children goodbye and hugging their friends, Emma's heart swelled with love that she didn't know was possible only a few short years ago. She had a loving husband, beautiful children, a great job, and the best friends a girl could ask for. Everything she'd ever wanted, and some things she had never even imagined, was a reality. And it was a beautiful thing. Thanking the universe for her decision to help a childless person all those many months ago, she joined her husband, cuddling close to him and resting peacefully with her head on his shoulder. They drove off into the sunset together.

THE END.


End file.
